Daily Wisdom 05-02-2002 Spring Isn't Sudden

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Spring Isn't Sudden

As many of us northerners know the beginning of spring does not necessarily coincide with the official date on the calendar, unfortunately! Forsome of us it's Spring when we see the first Robin, or the first blossom, or green grass. For me, it's spring in New Jersey the day the Forsythiacome out. Those little yellow flowers appear suddenly . . .I'm driving along the highway one day, they're not there, then the next day there'syellow everywhere! I want to yell out the window, "Hey everybody! It's spring today!" I don't do that, I just want to. Actually none of thisSpring explosion of color is really sudden. Those flowers have been getting ready to bloom for weeks; it's just that I couldn't see them untilnow.

There's a basic principle in how our creator God works. A lot of what He does is invisible - like the coming of spring, or the coming of a baby.It's quite a while before we can actually see any evidence of a baby developing inside his Mom. In fact it takes a test to verify that God'sactually begun a new life. Again, God at work invisibly. If you based it on what you could see, you'd conclude that God isn't doing anything. . .

Well, keep that in mind as we look at out word for today from the Word of God, Mark 4:35, "That day when evening came, Jesus saidto his disciples, 'Lets go over to the other side.' Leaving the crowd behind, they took Him along, just as He was, in the boat. Therewere also other boats with Him. A furious squall came up and the waves broke over the boat so it was nearly swamped. Jesus wasin the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke Him and said, 'Teacher, don't you care if we drown.' He got up, rebukedthe wind and said to the waves, 'Quiet. Be still.' And then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to Hisdisciples, 'Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?' And they were terrified and asked each other, 'Who is this? Eventhe wind and the waves obey Him!' " Now Jesus found disciples who were saying "We're in a jam and Jesus isn't doing anything!" And theywent even further and they said, "Don't you care?" They were making all kinds of mistakes and accusations because they were basingeverything on what they could see Jesus doing.

Maybe you're making that same kind of mistake right now? Things seem increasingly out of control, you're nearly swamped! You've beenpraying about it but Jesus isn't doing anything about it. Or is He? Now He's promised, Romans 8:28, "God is working all things togetherfor good to those who love God who are the called according to His purpose." Right now, through this ongoing process He is workingthem together. God is preparing your answer for you and you for your answer. But, like plants getting ready to bloom, and babies getting readyto be born, much of Gods working is invisible. We mistake God being invisible in our situation for God being inactive in our situation. Wrong! He's never inactive when it comes to the concerns of His kids.

On that stormy lake that day the disciples panicked unnecessarily because they couldn't see Jesus doing anything. They succumbed to unbelief,even with a Savior who had never let them down. Now maybe your storm is having the same effect on you - it looks as if things are out ofcontrol. But there is no such thing as out of control when you belong to the God who rules everything. Calming your storm is nothing for Him,He just says, "Quiet, be still!" His problem is with calming YOU. Maybe it is you that is out of control?

Jesus has never let a storm sink you yet. He's never left you unprovided for, and over and over in the past He has amazed you with His power,with his timing. So will this be different? No way! Like those Forsythia flowers, God's working will one-day blossom suddenly and you'll beamazed again. But right now, when you can see nothing but more winter, your Lord is skillfully, faithfully preparing your spring. Don't losehope, don't lose faith now! One day soon you'll be ready to shout out the window, "It's spring again!"

Today's Daily Wisdom is written by Ron Hutchcraft, based on his popular radio broadcast,"A Word With You"."A WORD WITH YOU" daily devotionals are now available via e-mail. To subscribe send a blank email to:awordwithyou-subscribe@hutchcraft.com,or to request the "Yours for Life" booklet, fill out the form on this site:http://www.gospelcom.net/rhm/yours/yflorder.html. Ron Hutchcraft Ministries has been on-line with Gospelcom since February, 1996, providingpractical answers to real life issues. (c) 2000 Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc.PO Box 400, Harrison AR 72602