Promises, Not Explanations
Therefore, it was necessary for him to be made in every respect like us, his brothers and sisters, so that he could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God. Then he could offer a sacrifice that would take away the sins of the people. - (Hebrews 2:17)
If God were to actually tell you why certain things happened as they did, would that erase your pain or heal your broken heart? Let’s imagine for a moment that God said, “Okay, okay. I am tired of your asking. Now I am going to tell you. Are you ready? Write it down. I did it for this reason. . . .” And then He gives you the reason.
What would you do next? Would you say, “Oh. Okay. Great. Praise God”? Probably not.
You probably would say, “I don’t agree with that. That makes no sense to me, Lord. I mean . . . I am sorry.”
That is probably why God doesn’t give us His reasons for doing what He does. We live on promises, not explanations. We shouldn’t spend too much time asking why. Instead, we should be asking what? As in, What am I supposed to do? You are to turn to the Lord.
Jesus weeps with us in our time of pain. Yes, Jesus is God, with all of His power and glory. But He also was a man. And He was a man who felt our pain and sorrows.
Isaiah 53:3 tells us, “He was despised and rejected—a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief.” Jesus knows. He voluntarily put himself in the way of danger to bear our sorrows on the cross.
Why would He do this? The Bible gives us the answer: “Therefore, it was necessary for him to be made in every respect like us, his brothers and sisters, so that he could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God. Then he could offer a sacrifice that would take away the sins of the people” (Hebrews 2:17).
If it breaks your heart, then it breaks His as well.
Summary sentence: What breaks your heart?
Tags: promises, explanations
Copyright © 2012 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
For more relevant and biblical teaching from Pastor Greg Laurie, go to www.harvest.org
and
Listen to Greg Laurie's daily broadcast on OnePlace.com.
Watch Greg Laurie's weekly television broadcast on LightSource.com.
SPECIAL OFFER
You can receive, Start! to Follow: How to Be a Successful Follower of Jesus Christ by Greg Laurie, as our thank-you for your financial support of Harvest Ministriesthis month.
To help you do a little spiritual checkup, Pastor Greg has written a book called Start! to Follow: How to Be a Successful Follower of Jesus Christ. In this new resource, Pastor Greg defines what discipleship is and encourages believers to become disciples.
“I thank God for everyone out there who listens to our broadcast and uses our resources, and who has also chosen to be a supporter both prayerfully and financially. Your gift brings relevant teaching from God’s Word through our daily broadcast A New Beginning, our crusades, and our online ministry channel, and this year across our country through Harvest America.
