Devotional: April 2008

Behind the Scenes

We’re closing in on that time of year when churches all across the country are presenting their Easter productions.  Our home church has a large choir and they put on a fantastic program each year.  I have attended a Broadway show in the past and it was an amazing site to see the talent and expertise displayed on the stage.  When you attend, of course, all you see is what is happening in the 2 hours or so that you are there.  What you don’t see is what went on behind the scenes in the months before the event took place and the flurry of activity taking place backstage even during the production. 

2 Corinthians 4:17-18 states, “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal (emphasis added).”  I have memorized and even written on verse 17, but it is verse 18 that has stood out to me over the last couple of days.  I had always thought of the “things which are not seen” as heaven.  And that is true.  But the Lord showed me that this verse means much more than that!  Jesus is at the right hand of the Father making intercession for me (Romans 8:34); God is working out things for my good (Romans 8:28); and no matter what my natural eye can see, I have to know, according to the Word of God, that eternal things are taking place in my life.   

We have a good friend right now that has lost his job for no particular reason after working in this company for many years.  His life right now has a big question mark on it, because he feels like the rug has been pulled out from under him, but I felt like God wanted me to tell him the other night that God is at work behind the scenes!  We can’t see what He is doing when we feel like we are going through each day in the same circumstances, getting nowhere and God is doing nothing.  But perhaps this situation is the very thing that we have to go through to get to the miracle we have prayed for!  2 Corinthians 4:18 states that we are not to look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen.  As we look at things through our spiritual eyes, we gain the understanding and peace that God is at work and the answer is on the way though our condition may seem hopeless.       

It’s easy to look at our current situation and think that God is not listening to our prayer; our faith is getting us nowhere, and the effort we put forth to maintain our walk with the Lord is a waste of time.  I’m here to tell you that that couldn’t be further from the truth.  Keep hoping, trusting and believing.  The answer you are looking for could be just around the bend.  You may not be able to see it, but in a moment your life can be changed when the plan of God miraculously unfolds in your life. 

The stage is set, the actors are in place.  The weeks of rehearsal, advertisement, stage preparation, line-memorizing have come down to this one moment.  Get your seat, the play is about to begin. 

Sonya