The God Who Prepares the Way
Contents
♡♥♡ God who prepares the way / Luke 22:7-13
*** Introduction
Once upon a time, there was a farmer who lived with a smile as he promised, “I have no worries even if there is a 10 year famine.” One day, the head of the village called him and asked him the secret. His answer was so simple.
“Even if there are ten years of famine, it is enough to die of starvation during the first year of famine.”
I said
It is an absurd story, but the farmer's words contain the wisdom to live each day as one day, not despair. In comparison, we live with too many worries. I think and worry about the mistakes of yesterday, and I worry about the tomorrow that may or may not have life yet.
In Luke 12, the Lord repeatedly emphasizes to those who have many fears and worries about life, “Do not be afraid” and “Do not be anxious.” Luke 12:25,26. “And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? Therefore, if even the smallest thing is impossible, why do you worry about other things?” In 1 Peter 5:7, “Cast all your anxieties on the Lord. This is because he counsels you.” And in Philippians 4:6, he even said how to solve your worries, saying, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. . And the Lord teaches us this fact through practical work in the text.
This text records the process of Jesus preparing for the last Passover on this earth. Because the disciples of Jesus had already left their home, there was no house to hold the feast, and no animals to slaughter for the Passover lamb. Although it is not recorded in the Bible, the disciples must have been worried about themselves as they had nothing as the biggest festival, the Passover, was approaching. So, when the Lord said to Peter and John, “Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat it,” they asked, “Where can I prepare it?”
Jesus gives gentle and detailed instructions. He taught me the circumstances of meeting the person God had prepared and even what to say. In fact, Peter and John only had to do what the Lord told them to do. This is called ‘obedience’. Isn't it really as easy as “laying down and eating rice cakes”? But today's people cannot do this easy task. Maybe it's because it's so easy, I'm rather worried about making such an easy task difficult.
Consider the case of Saul, the first king of Israel. In the second year of Saul's reign, there was a war with the Philistines. The Philistine army came to Michmas with great military power, set up camp, and started fighting. The Israelites either hid or fled. Saul gathered his troops from all Israel and was waiting at Gilgal. This is because the prophet Samuel said, “Wait seven days until he arrives at Gilgal.” Because it was only after offering sacrifices to God that war could be waged.
Saul was literally 'one angle and three weights' (一刻如三秋). The Philistines were fighting and yelling every day, and the Israeli soldiers were leaving one by one. King Saul became desperate. After waiting for the seven days that the prophet Samuel had said, he finally served the burnt offering. This was something a king should never do.
As soon as the burnt offering was over, the prophet Samuel arrived, and Samuel asked the king, 'What have you done now?' Saul made excuses using the situation as an excuse that he had no choice but to celebrate the burnt offering. Samuel warned that because of this, the reign of King Saul's family would not be long.
No difficult task was given to King Saul. All we had to do was wait for the prophet. God will do the rest. Because war belongs to God.
After that, God sent Samuel to King Saul, and he said, 'What belongs to Amalek, male or female, do not leave any beasts or anything that belongs to them, but destroy them.' With God's presence, Saul's army won the battle against Amalek. However, Saul did not kill Agag, the king of Amalek, and did not kill the good animals, but left them as trophies. 1 Samuel 15:9. “Saul and the people left Agag and the best of her sheep and herds, the fat and the lamb and all that is good, and they did not take pleasure in destroying them, but destroyed all that were worthless and lowly.” This event became a decisive moment, and Saul was rejected by God.
This too was obedience. Since it was a war that God was making, there was no fear of losing. It was only important to obey what God commanded. However, human greed took precedence and failed to obey.
Why was Saul abandoned by God? Is it because the work was difficult? Or is it because the environment or circumstances are not good? The reason was that they did not obey the will of God.
God had already prepared all the ways for King Saul. Since he was a man chosen by God, he would not be defeated in war or abandoned if he obeyed God's will. All he had to do was trust and depend on God and obey. King Saul followed his desires while looking at the circumstances. It made easy things difficult.
Today, the Lord has already prepared the way for us to go. Before calling us to be children of God, God's plan was already in place. That is why, when we pray, we confess, “He was chosen before all ages.”
Then, as chosen and called, do we have to make creative plans, work hard, and do many things? Do I have to build a nice church and do a lot of business to give alms and serve? Of course, you must be zealous and serve the Lord. But the Lord is asking us not to do much. The Lord doesn't demand too much for us to be painful. The Lord wants obedience to the will of God.
In Matthew 7:21 (Modern Bible), “Not all people who are religiously flawless do not have deep faith. Just because they call me 'Lord' does not mean that everyone can enter the kingdom of heaven. The most important question is whether they are doing the will of my Father who is in heaven.” And in Luke 10:41-42 (Modern Language Bible), “Then the Lord spoke. ‘Martha, Martha! You are too concerned about many things. There is really only one important thing to be concerned about. Maria found it. I do not want to take it from him.’”
In the text, Peter and John did not question the Lord's words. They went according to the word of the Lord. And they preached the word of the Lord, and prepared the Passover in the large attic. It didn't cost money, and it didn't come with hardships.
However, not all paths that God prepares are smooth and peaceful. Sometimes the way prepared for us may be death, or it may be hardship. However, He is the God who prepares even our hearts so that we can go on such a road with joy. In Mark 13:11 it says, “When people bring you up and hand you over, do not worry in advance what you will say, but whatever you say, say what he will give you at that time, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.” And the Lord said to his disciples, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. What I give to you is not as the world gives. Let not your hearts be troubled, and do not be afraid.”
Are you afraid or anxious when you think about your future? Please think of these words every time and ask the Lord to rely on them. The Lord is already preparing our way, and He will guard and guide our hearts to make it a full path. Let's just obey the Lord's guidance. The Lord reminds us of what we need to do, meets people, and creates the conditions for work. At that time, you don't have to reject or make it difficult by putting your thoughts first. Like Joseph, let's faithfully obey even if the path does not suit me at all. Then you will reach your destination safely in the Lord's time.