People complain a lot about difficulties that God allows in their life. I know because I am one of the complainers. We often hear (or say) the words "How could God allow this to happen to me?". But what about the things that God DOESN'T allow to happen...the things he protects us from that we don't even know about?

Yesterday, my wife and I had an interesting conversation about one little sentence in the book of Job. It says: The LORD said to Satan, “Very well, then, everything Job has is in your power, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.” (Job 1:12)  Interesting! God put a limit on what Satan could do to Job. Ultimately, God allowed it, but God had put a limit on what was allowed. Satan had boundaries within which he had to work to afflict Job; and God was the one who set those boundaries. Satan is not allowed to do anything to us unless God allows it. 

That really got me thinking. "I wonder what types of things Satan desires to do to us but that God has not allowed?" We know Satan has come to steal, kill and destroy, so what is stopping him from doing so to the full extent? Answer: God. I wonder what kind of plans Satan has devised against me, but God has protected me from by not allowing it. I'll never know! I speculate that God has protected me from most of the enemy's attacks and has only allowed those that ultimately will be for my good. This is good news...God has hand picked my afflictions! He knows which ones I'll be able to handle (1 Co 10:13) and which ones will work out for my good! He won't ever give me something that is beyond my ability to bear. This gives me strength to endure the trials that He does allow, knowing they are custom tailored by my loving Father, chosen specifically by Him out of the many hundreds of propositions and ploys of Satan. God is in complete control of what happens in my life and is working it all out for my good. I should be thankful for the trials that He does allow, and even more thankful for the trials that He doesn't allow!

Hurray for His handpicked afflictions!

Easter is over, but a small phrase of scripture lingers on in my head. I had never given much thought to it in the past, but this time as I heard it read from the stage, it awakened a whole slew of vivid images in my mind's eye. "He (Peter) saw the linen cloths lying there, and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself." (John 20:6-7). This one obscure sentence made the resurrection real to me. I saw it clearly for the first time. The instant when life flooded back in...not so much even flooded, but clicked on light a light switch. He had been dead for three days. His body was cold, his skin grey, his blood sitting dormant in his veins; but miraculously, in an instant, He came back from death. His blood flowed freely, breath filled his lungs, his nerves became aware of the cold, stone slab that He was laying on. His face felt the linen cloth that the women lovingly laid over his head. It reminds me of the opening scene of the T.V. series "Lost" when Jack's eyes open for the first time. Lying in an unfamiliar forest his eyes dart around as he becomes aware of his surroundings. For three days Jesus had been unaware...the last time he was conscious of anything, he was on the cross dying in agony; dirty, bloody, noisy, painful, bones out of place, screaming, wailing, cursing, spitting, dispair, defeat. Now, He awakes sharply...this time alone, in a cold, dark, quiet tomb. What were His first thoughts? Did He lie there under the cloth smirking? Did He chuckle to himself? I don't really think he was surprised, like "Oh, it worked!". From the way he folded his grave clothes, it seemed to be a careful, calm, and deliberate moment. He was in total control. He had done something that was never supposed to be done. Death could not keep it's greedy grip on Him, even if it wanted to. Jesus came back from the dead; Victorious. He not only rolled away the stone that closed the tomb, but he kicked a hole in the entire closed system of sin and death. He had made a new way. He had conquered the unconquerable. He had defeated the enemy. And so, as a victorious King, in a final act of victory, He slowly and calmly rose to His feet, folded His grave clothes, and laid them down...for the last time.


Hallelujah.