Isaiah 45:5-6 I am the LORD, and there is no other;
apart from me there is no God.
I will strengthen you,
though you have not acknowledged me,
so that from the rising of the sun
to the place of its setting
men may know there is none besides me.
I am the LORD, and there is no other.

So much for the thought of polytheism! It is interesting that this most adamantly monotheistic declaration is addressed to Cyrus, who was a polytheist who did not know Yahweh. Living in Japan, which is deeply polytheistic as well as materialistic, this chapter of Isaiah comes to mind again and again as I see people who know nothing of God be used for His purposes. “The devil made me do it” became a standard joke line back in the late 1960’s in the US, but that gives the devil too much credit. The devil encourages sin, but it is our own lust and rebellious nature that “make” us commit sin. (James 1:13-15) God, on the other hand, is omnipotent. He exercises enormous restraint, honoring the free will He gave us, but nothing happens, nothing can happen, outside of His permission. That is a mystery beyond our grasp at times. Sometimes we cry out in anguish, “Why?!,” yet we cannot grasp the answer. It is at such times that faith is most tested, and afterward, shines most brightly. As I am reminded very often, God told me personally that there is much in the world at this time that He is not happy about, but that does not make Him any less God. He can and does use even things that are horrible in themselves to work good and blessing, especially for those who love and trust Him. (Romans 8:28)

This is something I have known as objective fact for a long time, but it has taken much longer for it to work into me on the emotional level, and that isn’t complete even yet. The progression is from knowledge to faith to trust. Just reading the Bible has given me knowledge and God has given me faith, but I’ve got to apply those two together in active trust. I need to remember at all times, on the most practical, down-to-earth level, that the Lord is God, and He is good. That’s what Paul was talking about in Philippians 4:4-7 and 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18. If I will trust God enough to give Him thanks in all circumstances, rejoicing in His love for me, then His peace will guard my heart and mind in Christ Jesus my Lord. That’s something the world can’t begin to understand, much less give.

Father, I’ve been so slow to learn this! Thank You for telling me personally to rest, relax, and rejoice. Thank You for the training You gave me just yesterday in something that is essentially inconsequential, when an item was missing from a shipment we received, and You showed me that actually took some time pressure off of me. Help me trust You enough to delight in You throughout today, and each day, so that Your purposes may be accomplished in and through me on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!