Devotional Gems by Jolene: Open Book

Friday, February 6, 2009

Open Book

OPEN BOOK
Psalm 139: 13-24

Vs. 16 (The Message): “Like an open book You watched me grow from conception to birth; all the stages of my life were spread out before you, the days of my life all prepared before I’d even lived one day.”

The Triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, as divine parent/teacher, guides believers through lives of probation. What does that mean? God loves us so much that He provides us assurance that He’ll lead us to victory.

He walks side by side with us, comforting us through all life’s trials—tests that are designed specifically for maturing in Christ.

As predestined believers, we are born into a state of loving acceptance through our lives of probation. (Romans 8:29-30). From day one, we’re subject to tests, trials, and challenges designed to develop our faith.

Fortunately, God Himself pledges that we’ll pass every test. Each challenge is intended for us to “pass”—lesson learned. As infants, we’re fed milk. When we learn to tolerate solid food, we graduate to eating more hearty cooking.

So is life’s probation—auditions where we react to different situations. At first the tests are easy. With each subsequent test, we build upon that which we’ve already learned. Our trials grow increasingly more challenging. (Hebrews 5:12-14).

If we should flub one test, (meaning that we haven’t learned the lesson yet), we get another chance. Our loving Father allows us to re-do, until we learn the lesson.

The best part is that every tryout is stamped “PASS”. No one fails. Each person simply passes through life’s progression of trials, growing at one’s own pace. Spiritual maturity, or righteousness, grows us one block at a time. (One lesson learned at a time). At life’s end, we’ll emerge victorious.

Take Home Nugget

By surrendering our will to God, submitting ourselves to His plan, and yielding to the Holy Spirit’s guidance, we are assured victory at the end of our lives. Our probation is open-book testing, (the Bible). How can anyone fail an open book test?

God knew you’d pass before you even learned to walk.