Sunday, July 31, 2011

God's Comma's

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end” (Jeremiah 29:11 KJV).

Someone has said, “We often put periods were God often puts a comma.” What a true statement! Many times we experience devastating situations and circumstances (be it in our families, home, church, state, nation or in the world); that may appear to be the end, and we become discouraged and disheartened. In the midst of such situations, we must learn to trust God and know He has the final word, and what looks like a period, an end, is an opportunity for God to come on the scene.

In grammar, periods and commas both perform very important functions. While the period serves to tell us to stop, or that we are at the end of a thought, commas perform a variety of functions. One of these is “to keep ‘time’ in the musical score of a sentence. To pause or not to pause? That is the question.” Commas serve to remind us that there is more to come, that the thought is not finished.

Throughout the course of human history God has moved in the lives of people in the midst of situations where it seemed a period had been placed. Joseph the son of Jacob had such a life. He ran into periods that seemed would be the end of it all, but God turned those periods into commas. Placed in a pit to die by his own brother, while on a mission for his father, sold as slave, imprisoned falsely for rape, forgotten by fellow prisoners and friends, it seems, until God’s perfect time for him to come forth. When facing his brothers after his father’s death Joseph revealed God’s purpose of all the commas of his life.

“And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God? But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive” (Genesis 50:19-20 KJV).

All that Joseph faced through his life was bringing him to the place where he could be used to save his family and ultimately bring salvation to the world as an heir of Abraham and ancestor of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Job is another example of the commas of God. His wife and friends encourage him time and time again give up. They saw periods. They thought all was over when his children, home and possessions all destroyed.

As with Joseph’s life God had the last word, and turned Job’s periods into commas.
God promises to take life’s periods, and change them to commas if we will trust Him in the midst of our trials and storms. As we look at examples of those who have gone before us, who placed their trust in God, we can see how God brought them through, and we can know that He will do the same for us, too.

“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6 KJV).

“For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. {12} Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. {13} You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. {14} I will be found by you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile" (Jeremiah 29:11-14 NIV).

This text reminds us of God’s love and care for us. In the midst of all of life’s periods—dead ends, detours and diversions—God’s plans for our lives will be fulfilled as we trust Him and walk according to His Word.