AFFLICTIONS

At times I feel like King David when he said that if it were not for his afflictions he would go astray. Is it possible that God, in His desire to draw ever nearer to us that He allows affliction to bring that about?


When going through very difficult periods I have spoken to God, "I do not need this to desire You"! And, during very good times when things seem to be going very well I find myself purchasing truck loads of mulch and top soil and spending all day, from sun up to sun down enjoying the outside yard. I keep having feelings that "it time to spend some time with Me" but I usually say "as soon as I finish this section of the yard, and as soon as I water the new evergreen plants, and as soon as I fill the bird feeders...!"


Today I feel very, very tired. Here I am, using this Sabbath not to spread more mulch or topsoil, but I have been praying and spending time reading the Bible. Could it be that I feel bad so I would take this time to commune with God? Does God use common circumstances in our lives, even the way we feel, to draw us to Him?


I was reading today in the Book of Isaiah, chapter 7 where the King of Judah, Ahaz was being tormented by the king of Syria and his cohorts. They were harassing Jerusalem, not being able to outright overthrow it, but still causing great harm to King Ahaz and the inhabitants. All eyes were on the trouble they were in. They were in much distress and dismay.


One man, Isaiah heard a word from God. He told the king of Judah (Jerusalem) to "Take heed, (pay attention!), and be quiet, fear not, neither be fainted hearted for the two tails of these smoking firebrands (king of Syria and his crew), for the fierce anger of Rezin with Syria and of the son of Remaliah..."
Thus says the LORD God, what they plan shall not stand, neither shall it come to pass. The seige ended.