Daily devotion – When the wind blows in another direction!
When God Brings Change
Matthew 9:9
“And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose and followed him.”
Next Sunday evening, Pastor Israel will be teaching through the passage in Matthew’s Gospel where Jesus calls the tax collector Matthew to follow Him. What a life-changing moment this was for Matthew! He left behind his profession as a tax collector to become a disciple of the Son of God, the Messiah of Israel. The same was true of several of the other disciples, who left their fishing boats to become the foundation stones of the early Church, carrying the gospel throughout the world.
There are times in our lives when, all of a sudden, the floor seems to fall out from beneath us or the rug is pulled from under our feet. Pastor Chuck Smith often taught that when such things happen, it is frequently God getting our attention, calling us to lift our eyes and look beyond our present circumstances to what He has prepared for us. We can become comfortable in familiar routines and settled into life’s patterns, but there comes a time when God desires us to be more attentive because He is bringing change into our lives.
The Lord is committed to our spiritual growth and to fulfilling His purpose for us. When His time comes, we are called to heed His voice.
Perhaps you have recently experienced an unexpected change. Often, the only way we are willing to seek a new direction is when something we have depended upon is taken away. It may be the loss of a job, a sudden health concern, or finding yourself in circumstances you never anticipated.
When such things happen, lift your eyes to your heavenly Father. Seek His wisdom and guidance by faith in the new situation you now face. Remember, if you belong to Christ and have been walking faithfully with Him, then your Good Shepherd has not abandoned you. Rather, He has led you to this very place and will faithfully lead you through this new season.
Matthew never returned to collecting taxes. Instead, he was used by God to write one of the four Gospels—a portion of Holy Scripture that has brought faith, hope, healing, and salvation to countless millions. What seemed like an interruption to his life became the beginning of God’s greater purpose.
Never fear the changes God brings. He is always leading His children from where they are to where He desires them to be.