Devotional Thought of the Day:

³⁷  None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us. ³⁸  I’m absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, ³⁹  high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God’s love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us. Romans 8:37-39 (MSG)

²⁰  God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us. Ephesians 3:20 (MSG)

The working of God’s Spirit produces disproportionate results that do not make sense humanly. The outcome is beyond human logic to understand or natural powers to accomplish. Such humanly unaccountable effects fit into, and even certify, the principles and purposes of the rule of God in human history, as manifested in the works of Christ.

Thus she came to understand Chesterton when he described men and women who, signed with Christ’s Cross, cheerfully walk through darkness. Finding this hidden life means releasing the sources of this world’s energy, linking the world to the power that can save it, giving it the resources for which it seeks in vain within itself. It means digging for and uncovering the wellspring of joy which can save and transform things and people and which has the power to undo and make good past suffering. Seek the things that are above! This is not a mere clutching at a straw but a setting-out on the great Easter journey into the region of genuine reality.

Often times, we think of God doing “immeasurably more” in regards to His doing something incredible in our lives. As if each one of us would become the next Mother Theresa or Billy Graham. As if what we do will receive blessings that are worldly, fame, riches, health, pleasure. That we will slay giants, or shatter the minions of evil that oppress those we love.

After all, God can do anything, and promises to do amazing things!

I think Pope Benedict makes a good point in this point highlighted in green, what God does that is beyond belief, beyond our ability to measure is to make good past suffering, to reach into our brokenness; and flood it with so much joy that we count as a blessing what we once complained was a curse.

This isn’t about calling evil good and good evil, make no mistake, but it is about God redeeming the time. It is about the memories now longer haunting us but instead leaving us in awe of God’s love that sustained us in the darkness.

It is about seeing the little things that God sets up, the 10 minutes with a friend there, the prayer said last night, the determination to just rely on God, even as we can’t see where we are going. It is about the peace we feel, as our sins are washed away, as we trust in the words God desires us to see. This abundant blessing is seen in how a little round peace of bread and sip of wine bring us peace as we recognize we are sharing in the body and blood of Jesus.

in those moments, the world can fall apart (or at least we believe it is!) and we are sure God is with us. He has revealed Himself to us in those moments, and we will never forget it. As we focus on Him, the Spirit is turning us into God’s work of art (Eph. 2:10) which again, is more than we could ever expect, ever hope.

God is with you, doing more in you than you could ever imagine…so rejoice, and as you realize you dwell in His presence, be at peace! AMEN!

Willard, D., & Johnson, J. (2015). Hearing god through the year: a 365-day devotional. Westmont, IL: IVP Books.

Ratzinger, J. (1992). Co-Workers of the Truth: Meditations for Every Day of the Year. (I. Grassl, Ed., M. F. McCarthy & L. Krauth, Trans.) (p. 26). San Francisco: Ignatius Press.