BBD 09.21.15 When East looks like West (Classic)
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The Burning
Bush Devotional
Classic
from 2008
09.21.15
When East
looks like West
Show me Your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and
teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; on You I wait all the day. -
Psalm 25:4-5 NKJV.
The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the
Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the statutes of the Lord are right,
rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the
eyes; the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the judgments of the
Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold,
yea, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover
by them Your servant is warned, and in keeping them there is great reward. -
Psalm 19:7-11 NKJV.
In 1998, I was blessed with the opportunity to preach at
a church in Capitola, California. We greatly enjoyed our visit and have many
great memories of our time there. Capitola is located on the Monterey Bay with
the Pacific ocean stretching out to the west as far as the eye can see - at
least that‘s what I thought. But strangely enough when we were taking some
photos prior to leaving, we noticed that the early morning sun was rising in
the west! It had to be the west didn’t it, because the sun was rising over the
Pacific Ocean which had to be in the west didn’t it?
Jeanie had her directions confused the whole time she was
in Capitola but I always thought I knew which way I was going because the ocean
was always in the west. Suddenly, I realized that what I had considered to be
west, what I felt to be west, could not be west. It had to be east! As I have
looked at a map of the Monterey Bay the land wraps around so that in the area
we were at the ocean actually was to the east.
I felt like the ocean was to the west. It looked like the
ocean lay out to the west. In my mind I knew that the ocean had to be in the
west. But the truth was that I was wrong. Even though it felt right, it looked
right and my knowledge said it was right, I was still wrong. The truth was
different from what my human emotions, sight and knowledge said was right.
Much of the Christian experience is similar. I may not
feel like I am saved. I may not look like I have been born again and human
wisdom would say that it is not possible but the Bible says in John 1:12, “But as many as received Him (Jesus), to them gave
he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.”
The Christian disciplines of prayer, Bible study and
church attendance seem like a waste of time to the human non-Christian mind. To
the non-Christian those things do not look like they could possibly be of any
value. The non-Christian does not feel anything good when they think about
praying, or reading the Bible, or going to church. But for the children of God,
we know the truth is, that in those resources of God we find immense value.
Even as Christians, at times we feel like we cannot go on
when faced with difficult circumstances. Those circumstances look overwhelming
and our mind tells us there is no way so we might as well give up. The truth as
Paul would tell us is, “I can do all things
through Christ who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13).”
The next time east looks like west we need to get out our
compass, the Word of God, and determine what is the real truth of the
situation.
Copyright © 2008-2015. Ed
Wrather. The Burning Bush website has been online since January 31, 1998. On
June 8, 1998 the email version of the Burning Bush Devotional was first sent.
Ed Wrather began writing devotionals in the early 1990s. The distribution of those
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Please continue to pray
for our friend Michelle who has had surgery for cancer and is being treated
with chemo. She is now half way through with chemo and will soon have another
PET scan to check the progress of treatment. Thank you for your prayers for
Michelle!!!
Please continue to pray for
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(Jeanie’s sister). Jeanie has also been experiencing increased pain in her back
and side. It is likely she will need additional intervention for the pain.
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