WISDOM FOR LIVING DAILY DEVOTIONAL
FEBRUARY 01, 2023
TOPIC: REST ASSURED THAT GOD KNOWS WHAT HE IS DOING
BY T. O. BANSO
âThat night the king could not sleep. So one was commanded to bring the book of the records of the chronicles; and they were read before the king. And it was found written that Mordecai had told of Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs, the doorkeepers who had sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus. Then the king said, âWhat honor or dignity has been bestowed on Mordecai for this?â And the king’s servants who attended him said, âNothing has been done for himââ (Esther 6:1-3 New King James Version).
As a child of God, one of the things you must be convinced about God and His involvement in human lives is that He knows what He is doing. Some things may suggest that the devil is having the upper hand but God knows what He is doing. Evil may appear to be prevailing and overshadowing righteousness but God knows what He is doing. God may allow the devil to start something but He will take it over and use it for His glory.
Joseph told his brother who sold Him into slavery. âBut as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people aliveâ (Genesis 50:20 New King James Version). God saw them when they were planning to sell him to the slave traders but He didnât stop them. When they deceived their father, giving him the impression that a wild animal had killed Joseph, God didnât talk. He knew what He was doing. Unknown to his brothers, they were helping him to fulfil Joseph’s dreams that they were fighting against.
But while Joseph was awaiting the fulfillment of the dreams God had shown him, he might, as a human being, have been wondering what was going on: would the dreams come to pass or not? But God knew what He was doing. Joseph had a tortuous journey from his fatherâs house to the pit, Potipharâs house, and prison, before eventually getting to the palace as Prime Minister in Egypt. He summarized his suffering in the names he gave his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. â Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: âFor God has made me forget all my toil and all my father’s house.â And the name of the second he called Ephraim: âFor God has caused me to be fruitful in the land of my afflictionââ (Genesis 41:51-52 New King James Version).
Although Joseph dreamt that his brothers bowed before him, this didnât happen until twenty-two years later! He had the dream when he was seventeen years old (Genesis 37:2, 5-11) and became the Prime Minster when he was thirty years old (Genesis 41:46). That was thirteen years after. Egypt had seven years of prosperity and another seven years of famine, which Pharaoh had dreamt about; the seven-year famine was in its second year when his brothers came and bowed before him and after some time, he revealed himself to them (Genesis 42:6; 43:26, 28; 44:14; 45:1-15). If you add the thirteen years between when Joseph had his dreams and when he became Prime Minister to the seven years of prosperity and the two years of famine, it will make twenty-two years before the dreams he had concerning his brother (and his father and mother) came to pass.
If you have committed your life to God through Jesus Christ, rest assured, as you journey in life, that God knows what He is doing in your life. You may not understand some things that are happening but God knows what He is doing. Therefore, continue to put your trust in Him. Joseph told his brother when he revealed himself to them, âAnd God sent me before you to preserve a posterity for you in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliveranceâ (Genesis 45:7 New King James Version).Â
Look at the life of David. Although the Prophet Samuel had anointed him as King in place of Saul, Saul continued to reign while David was running for his life from Saul, who was determined to kill him. Why would God say that He had found as a replacement for Saul, David the son of Jesse, a man after His own heart, who would do all His will, yet He allowed Saul to continue on the throne? (Acts 13:22: 1 Samuel 13:14). Did He lack the power to remove him and put David on the throne? No. God knew what He was doing.
He allowed David to be anointed king three times before he eventually became the king of Israel! Samuel anointed him as king privately in the presence of his brothers (1 Samuel 16:12-13). The second time, the men of his tribe, Judah, after Saulâs death, anointed him king over their tribe while the house of Saul was still ruling over the other tribes of Israel (2 Samuel 2:4). Finally, the elders of Israel came to Hebron and anointed David king over all Israel after the death of Abner and Ishbosheth, Saulâs son (2 Samuel 5:3-5). God knew what He was doing. His will came to pass.Â
Even Davidâs predecessor, Saul, didnât get to the throne of Israel at once. His ascension was also in three stages. Samuel first anointed him as king privately (1 Samuel 10:1). Secondly, Samuel presided over a public selection of king at Mizpa, where Saul was chosen as king but some people objected (1 Samuel 10:17-27). Finally, Samuel gathered all the people together at Gilgal, and they reaffirmed Saulâs kingship (1 Samuel 11:14-15). Thus, Saul was proclaimed king three times.
Rest assured that God knows what He is doing. He knows how He will bring to pass whatever He has spoken concerning your life. Just trust and obey. Carry out your responsibility and let God do what He only can do. God knows why He allows some things in our lives but, ultimately, His will shall be done. âAnd we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purposeâ (Romans 8:28 New King James Version).
Esther 6:1-3 says, âThat night the king could not sleep. So one was commanded to bring the book of the records of the chronicles; and they were read before the king. And it was found written that Mordecai had told of Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs, the doorkeepers who had sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus. Then the king said, âWhat honor or dignity has been bestowed on Mordecai for this?â And the king’s servants who attended him said, âNothing has been done for himââ (New King James Version).
God knew why He didnât allow Mordecai to be rewarded earlier. He delayed it because He knew what Haman would do in the future. He knew why He made it impossible for King Ahasuerus to sleep and made him ask for the book of records to be brought and read to him. Why did the king not overlook the part of the records that pertained to Mordecai? Added to the fact that the portion was significant, he couldnât have overlooked it because that was why God kept him awake! It was time to reward Mordecai and humiliate and frustrate Haman who had made gallows on which to hang Mordecai.
Haman was unaware of what was going on with the king in the palace when he came in with his request for the kingâs approval to hang the same person the king had decided to honour. God knew what He was doing when He made Haman come into the palace at exactly the time the king wanted someoneâs counsel on what he should do to honour the person he was delighted in. Haman proposed to the king what to do, thinking that he was the one the king was delighted in. He targeted his suggestion on Mordecai to humiliate him before he would hang him on the gallows that he had prepared (Esther 6:7-9). But he didnât know that his proposal was in favour of Mordecai and he had proposed his own humiliation.
The king, unaware of Hamanâs plot against Mordecai, told Haman to carry out what he had proposed. Thus, Haman was humiliated and Mordecai was honoured (verses 10-11). God knows what He is doing. After being honoured, Mordecai returned to the kingâs gate while Haman hurried home, mourning and having his head covered.
God knows what He is doing when He allowed Haman to make the gallows on which to hang Mordecai. He knew that Haman, not Mordecai, would be hanged there. So after Esther had exposed Hamanâs plot against the Jews and the king was told about the gallows, he ordered that Haman should be hanged on the same gallows (Esther 7:9-10).
Proverbs 26:27 says whoever digs a pit will fall into it and whoever rolls a stone will have it rolled back on him. Anyone who digs a pit will fall into it, and anyone who breaks through a wall will be bitten by a serpent (Ecclesiastes 10:8). David said, âHe made a pit and dug it out, And has fallen into the ditch which he made. His trouble shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealing shall come down on his own crownâ (Psalm 7:15-16 New King James Version). David also said in Psalm 9:15 that the nations had sunk down in the pit which they made and in the net which they hid, their own foot was caught. Whatever a man sows, that he will also reap (Galatians 6:7). The writer of Psalm 10:2 prayed, âThe wicked in his pride persecutes the poor; Let them be caught in the plots which they have devisedâ (New King James Version). God answered that prayer concerning Haman.
Rest assured that God knows what He is doing even when, sometimes, it appears that the enemy is having the upper hand or God’s promises are being delayed. You may not understand some things happening in your life despite Godâs promises; rest assured that He knows what He is doing. Do what you should do and can do. Perform your responsibility. Do what He tells you to do and let Him do His work. Godâs purpose will stand and He will do all that He pleases (Isaiah 46:10). His plans endure forever; His purposes last eternally (Psalm 33:11). There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord (Proverbs 21:30). He knows the plans that He has for you; plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11). Rest assured that God knows what He is doing.
TAKE ACTION!
If you are not born again, you need to give your life to Jesus now. I urge you to take the following steps: *Admit that you are a sinner and you cannot save yourself and repent of your sins. *Confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. *Renounce your past way of life â your relationship with the devil and his works. *Invite Jesus into your life. *As a mark of seriousness to mature in the faith, start attending a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church. There they will teach you how to grow in the Kingdom of God.
Kindly say this prayer now: O Lord God, I come unto You today. I know I am a sinner and I cannot save myself. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross to save me and God raised Him on the third day. I repent of my sins and confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I surrender my life to Jesus now and invite Him into my heart. By this prayer, I know I am saved. Thank You, Jesus, for saving me and making me a child of God.
I believe you have said this prayer from your heart. Congratulations! You will need to join a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church in your area where they will teach you how to live your new life in Christ Jesus. I pray that you flourish like a palm tree and grow like a cedar of Lebanon. May you grow into Christ in all things and become all God wants you to be. I will be glad to hear from you. The Lord be with you.
PRAYER POINTS: Father, the truth that You know what You are doing in my life comforts me. I trust in You, Father, and I know that Your will for my life shall be done; Your purpose will stand and You will do all that You please. Holy Spirit, help me to continue to perform my responsibilities, stand in faith, and wait for the fulfilment of Godâs plan for my life. I shall not be weary, anxious, or lose faith in Jesusâ name.
(For over 900 in-depth and powerful messages by T. O. Banso, visit www.cedarministry.org).
T. O. Banso is the President of Cedar Ministry International, Abuja, Nigeria.
Phone No: +2348155744752, +2348033113523
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Website: www.cedarministry.org