God's Commas

Sunday, December 31, 2006

God’s Commas

(Jer 29:11 NIV) 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.

This past Thursday morning while running some errands I tuned Focus On the Family on the radio. During the week they were replaying the most requested programs of the year by listener response. As I came out of the Post office and was heading back to the church office, the speaker on that program, whose name I didn’t not get made a statement that touch my heart and I knew it was a Word from The Lord for us today. She said, “We often put periods were God often puts a comma.” It set my mind going. How true that statement is! Many times we look at situations and circumstances around us, be it in our families, home, church, state, nation or in the world; they may be devastating, it may look like it’s the end, and we get discouraged or disheartened. 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.

Periods and commas serve two important jobs; a period serves to tell us to stop, or that we at the end of a thought. Commas serve as an inflection, for us to pause. Commas serve to remind us that more is yet 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 follow 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 reveal God’s purpose of all the commas of his life.

(Gen 50:19-20 NIV) But Joseph said to them, "Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? {20} You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.

In all that Joseph faced though his lives, it 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 with his children, home and possessions all destroyed.

(Job 2:9-10 NIV) His wife said to him, "Are you still holding on to your integrity? Curse God and die!" {10} He replied, "You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?" In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.

As with Joseph’s life God turned Job’s periods into commas, and had the last word.

(Job 42:11-13 NIV) All his brothers and sisters and everyone who had known him before came and ate with him in his house. They comforted and consoled him over all the trouble the LORD had brought upon him, and each one gave him a piece of silver and a gold ring. {12} The LORD blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the first. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand donkeys. {13} And he also had seven sons and three daughters.

God promises to take life periods, and change them to commas if we will trust Him in the midst of lives trials and storms. As we look at examples of those who have gone before us, who placed their trust in God and to see how God brought them through, and that He will do the same for you too.

(Prov 3:5-6 NIV) Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; {6} in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

Conclusion:

(Jer 29:11-14 NIV) 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."