but – Far More Life

When surveying life, there can be a variety of perspectives — or lenses — through which we view it. Some of us are optimistic while others are pessimistic. Some see the glass as half-full while others see it as half-empty. Some claim things will look better tomorrow while others believe every day brings trouble.

These lenses have been in use since the Garden of Eden. The Bible does not record that Eve felt discontent in paradise until Satan shared a pessimistic viewpoint: your life is lacking unless you eat from the one tree God placed off limits. I believe Eve had not paid much attention to that tree before — she was content with the rest of the land — but after Satan’s assertion, it became her focus:

When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. (Genesis 3:6, NIV)

Eve chose to view her surroundings through the lens that portrayed them as not good. Or at least not good enough. She turned away from far more life to pursue a land that looked better. But it was an empty promise from Satan.

About 2500 years later, the Israelites were standing outside the Promised Land. This was the place God chose for them and described as “a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey” (Exodus 3:7). Although they had faced slavery in Egypt, God intended to bless them with far more life in this land.

But when the Israelite scouts entered the land, they brought a mixed report to Moses and Aaron:

…We went in to the land where you sent us; and it certainly does flow with milk and honey…Nevertheless, the people who live in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large…We are not able to go up against the people, for they are too strong for us…The land…devours its inhabitants; and all the people whom we saw in it are men of great size…and we became like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight.” (Numbers 13:27-28, 31-33, NASB)

The land is good, but…

How often do we, like the scouts, discount the good and dwell on the problems? God had already promised to make the land theirs, but, rather than trusting in God’s character and promises, the Israelites assessed the situation based on their own strength. They saw their weaknesses and declared the land not good.

However, two of the scouts viewed the land through a different lens:

Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh…spoke to all the congregation of the sons of Israel, saying, “The land which we passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land. If the LORD is pleased with us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us—a land which flows with milk and honey. Only do not rebel against the LORD; and do not fear the people of the land, for they will be our prey. Their protection has been removed from them, and the LORD is with us; do not fear them.” (Numbers 14:6-9, NASB)

The land is exceedingly good. The Lord is with us. Obey Him and have confidence in His protection and provision. Joshua and Caleb were not blind to the challenges ahead, but they saw the land as God intended. They urged the people to pursue far more life, to put their hope and trust in God and follow His commands. They recognized this would allow them to experience the best of the land.

Today we do not need to get to a certain location on planet earth to find exceedingly good land. Every born-again believer in Jesus Christ is indwelled with the Holy Spirit. The exceedingly good land is your heart, which was renewed when you accepted Christ as your Savior. The Lord is pleased with you and always with you. You have nothing to fear. You have power to live within His will. Far more life is available every moment of every day.

We are tempted to think of our circumstances as the land. We may see it as not good. Perhaps we view our family and friends as messy and inconvenient. Perhaps we believe our own weaknesses are insurmountable. We may dwell on our sin and feelings of worthlessness. We may expect to find peace and joy from external sources. Far more life recognizes this is not God’s viewpoint.

He purified their hearts by faith (Acts 15:9, NIV)

A heart purified by faith in Christ is good land.

God…set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. (2 Corinthians 1:21-22, NIV)

A heart where the Holy Spirit lives is good land.

He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:6, NIV)

A heart that is growing in Christlikeness is good land.

When we view our heart as good land, we experience far more life. We understand the land is good because of what God has done and is doing in us, not because of what is happening around us. The land is good because it is God’s home, not because of our life circumstances. Look with eyes of faith beyond the challenges, beyond sin, beyond human frailty and embrace the good land of far more life!

Sisters,
Does your perspective tend to be more positive or more negative?
When have you turned away from far more life to pursue something that looked better?
What are the “buts” in your life that keep you from viewing it as exceedingly good?
How does thinking of your heart as God’s land help you see the good?
Embrace the good land of far more life today!
-Shari

There are aspects of God’s character that seem contradictory. He is completely loving. And completely righteous. He is forgiving. He cannot tolerate sin. We are made in His image. We are unlike Him in so many ways. He is predictable in some ways and surprising in others. So we have to choose: will we accept all of Him or only the parts we understand? Will we work to understand more or give up and pull away? He promises:

…If you search for him with all your heart, you will find him. (Deuteronomy 4:29, GNT).

God does not intend to hide from His children. While we will never understand Him perfectly in this life, we can grow in reconciling His seemingly contradictory qualities and actions. The better we understand Him, the more we experience far more life.

Here are two examples that give us insight into God’s heart:

Then the Lord passed by in front of him, saying, “The Lord, the Lord God, with loving-pity and loving-favor, slow to anger, filled with loving-kindness and truth, keeping loving-kindness for thousands, forgiving wrong-doing and sin. But He will not let the guilty go without being punished… (Exodus 34:6-7, NLV)
And you were dead in your trespasses and sins in which you previously lived according to the ways of this world…But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love that he had for us made us alive with Christ… (Ephesians 2:1-5, CSB)

Both passages set up a contrast that is linked by “but God”. God is loving, but God punishes sin. We were dead in our sin, but God is rich in mercy and love.

Think of situations where people make a statement then add, “but…”. The next words are often hard to hear. Or surprising. Or seem contradictory. In reality, whatever follows “but” brings clarification or perspective. It is important, even when it is hard to hear.

In the verses above, we like God’s loving side, but are less excited about his punishing side. We like that he shows mercy, but do not like to think of sin making us dead to Him. Far more life accepts both sides of “but God” as equally true and important. It embraces His complexity and seeks to understand the goodness of each characteristic and action. Even those that do not appear good at first glance.

I was curious to see what other “but God” statements are in His Word. I was surprised to find around 60 (number varies by translation). They include:

But God remembered
But God replied
But God made no reply
But God listened
But God heard
But God said
But God can tell you
Bud God has not allowed
But God has seen
But God will be with you
But God intended
But God will come to help you
But God was angry
But God delivered
But God will redeem my soul
But God will shoot my enemy
But God will shatter my enemy
But God is the strength of my heart
But God is the judge
But God provided
But God made
Bud God knows your heart
But God prevented
But God came
But God forgives
But God revealed
But God raised him from the dead
But God promised
But God turned away
But God demonstrates His love
But God chose
But God made it grow
But God will destroy
But God composed the church body
But God gives
But God comforts the downcast
But God knows
But God is one
But God had mercy
But God tests our hearts
But God gives you his Holy Spirit
But God is the builder of everything
But God found fault
But God disciplines us

Some of these bring a smile to my face. Others remind me of times when I was hurt or confused. But one psalmist declares:

You are good, and you do what is good… (Psalm 119:68, CSB)

God can see the big picture and knows what will bring us far more life and glorify Him. He is trustworthy. Even in our “but God” moments:

When God replies, it is good. But when God makes no reply, it is also good.
When God comforts, it is good. But when God disciplines, it is also good.
When God made, it was good. But when God destroys, it will also be good.

I can think of so many times when I was headed the wrong way and a “but God” encounter got me back on track. I was distraught over a potential miscarriage, but God — through song lyrics quoting His Word — reminded me that He deserves my praise in all circumstances. I was angry with my husband, but God — through our guiding verses from Philippians — prompted me to choose unity and love over pride. I was uncertain how to handle a hard situation, but God — through the counsel of a wise friend — gave me a righteous and loving response. I was weighed down by worry and fear, but God — when I obediently prayed through my anxieties — filled me with peace that passes understanding.

Whatever roadblocks or challenges you are facing today, a “but God” encounter is available to you. If it is not obvious, ask Him to open your heart to recognize and accept it. He never wants you to remain stuck in fear, worry, sin, impatience, harshness, or other places that rob you of far more life. He will faithfully show you the way to far more life and give you “but God” stories to remember and share.

Sisters,
Is it easy or hard for you to accept that God does not contradict Himself, even though we cannot always reconcile aspects of His character?
Which “but God” statements from the list have you experienced?
How have you seen His goodness through a “but God” moment that looked like a roadblock?
Walk in far more life today as you humbly open yourself to accepting and understanding God for who He is, not just who you want Him to be.
-Shari

Tag: but

The Land Is Good

But God