Christ Is All Good

As often as our predictions come to pass, there are countless times our expectations are unmet or even exceeded.  We expected prompt service and were disappointed to wait in a long queue, or we were pleased the traffic at peak-hour was surprisingly light.  There has been the person of high social rank who was very pleasant and friendly when we imagined they would be unapproachable.  Depending on the church you grew up in there might be an expectation the pastor's kid would be well-versed in scripture or a wayward prodigal.  I love the fact God's ways are higher than ours, and surprises that seem good or bad ought to remind us we are not Him and lay our preconceived expectations aside.

One such unexpected circumstance is found in 1 Kings 14 when the wife of idolatrous king Jeroboam wore a disguise as she sought to inquire of the prophet of God, Ahijah.  It is ironic Jeroboam worshipped idols yet sought counsel from the LORD when his son was ill.  Though Ahijah the prophet was physically blind, God prepared him before her arrival and provided insight so he could see through her disguise and give a word concerning the child's certain demise.  The reason might surprise you.  Ahijah said concerning the king's son Abijah in 1 Kings 14:12-13:  "Arise therefore, go to your own house. When your feet enter the city, the child shall die. ¹³ And all Israel shall mourn for him and bury him, for he is the only one of Jeroboam who shall come to the grave, because in him there is found something good toward the LORD God of Israel in the house of Jeroboam."  Out of the wicked house of Jeroboam the child Abijah had genuine faith in the God of Israel.

Spurgeon preached a wonderful sermon on the subject, and this portion touched my heart:

"I want you first to consider the very singular fact which you cannot understand, that holy children should be often placed in ungodly families. God's providence has arranged it so, yet the consequences are painful to the young believer. You would think that if God loved a child he would not suffer it to be born unto Jeroboam's court, and that he would not send his own chosen down to be surrounded by everything that will grieve its tender heart; and yet God does send his dear children into such places. Why is this?

Well, first they are God's protest against sin where no other protest would be heard—a tender touching message from God to let the ungodly know that there is something better than the sin in which they wallow. Holy children are as angels and demons, by their innocence rebuking sin. Does not God send children there also to make a display of his divine grace, that we may see that he chooses whom he wills and takes one of a family according to his good pleasure? Does he not also show us that he can keep grace alive in the most unlikely places where all things war against the soul? The grace of God can live where you and I would die. The life of grace can continue under conditions, which threaten death. Some of the brightest and most gracious people have been found where there was nothing to keep them, but everything to hinder them. Does not the Lord permit this to show what his grace can do? and is it not intended to be an encouragement to each of us to be faithful? for if this dear child could be faithful to God with such a father and mother, and in such a court, ought you and I to be afraid? Oh, you big man, let a child shame you—you were afraid to speak out before your work-mates the other day! What a coward you must be, when this child displayed his love to the Lord God of Israel where all opposed!

Is it not remarkable how God distributes his people, as we scatter salt? He sets one of them down in each den of evil. Saul the king is a great rebel against God; but close at his side is Jonathan: thus the sweetest flower that ever bloomed is found growing near the roughest bramble that could be found. What a sty of filthiness was the court or Ahab! and yet he had for his chamberlain Obadiah, who hid the servants of God by fifties in a cave, and fed them from Jezebel's table; Nebuchadnezzar must not be left without three holy champions who can go into the fire for God. Look at Belshazzar drinking wine out of the cups of the sanctuary, and yet a Daniel is employed in his court. Even in the court of Ahasuerus, Esther is placed to confront that wicked Haman. Oh, I think there is never an Uz without a Job, nor a Chaldea without an Abraham, nor a Sodom without a Lot, nor an Egypt without a Moses, nor a house of Eli that has gone astray without some little Samuel sent of God to bear his protest. Think over the ways of God to man and admire what you cannot understand."

Amen!  Think over the ways of God and admire Him, for He does what we cannot predict or imagine.  When we were sinners deserving of death He sent His only begotten Son Jesus Christ, the Light of the World, to pierce the darkness and bring life and liberty to all who believe.  He was pierced and wounded for our transgressions, and by His stripes we are healed.  We all went out of the way, yet Jesus has been sent as the Way, the Truth and the Life so we might know God, receive the Gospel and eternal life.  By God's grace He has ordained His people to be scattered throughout the world so His grace and goodness would be known by all.  Believers are compared to salt that keeps its savour, light that shines in darkness and the fragrance of Christ.  In Christ we can be exactly who God in His wisdom created us to be and flourish in His presence wherever He leads.