For the past six or seven months, I have been captivated by the book of Jeremiah. Today, after I arrived home from work, I decided to go dig up my commentaries by Calvin. When Ris and I redid our room awhile back, all of my knick-knacks and books were packed into storage and put into the dark recesses of the basement. While I had hoped to dig out my books and bring them back to the room, that hasn't happened yet, and I don't think we have the space for any more furniture (like a bookshelf). As a result of everything being in storage, I had to dig through my boxes until I came to the crate filled with my commentaries. Although I could have used the set that my parents own, I wanted to have mine so that I could feel free to mark them (I'm a big fan of underlining and margin writing). There were about three thick, entire volumes devoted to the book of Jeremiah. For a start, I decided to go to one of my favorite verses, and then I wrote down some of my own thoughts on what I'd gleaned from the mighty pen of Calvin.
"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you an expected end."
What God has decreed cannot be changed; He already has my future mapped out. Attempting to figure out the mind of God is futile: His ways, thoughts, deeds, and plans are so far above me that they are incomprehensible. Here, however, God was reminding the Jews of His promises to them in the past, bringing rebuke to them for doubting His deliverance. How often have I been tempted to doubt the will of God for my life? How frequently have I been anxious when considering my future? Truly, God's reproof to the Jews applies to me as well. As Calvin said, "He teaches us that true wisdom is to obey God, and to surrender ourselves to Him; and that when we understand not His counsel, we ought to resignedly wait until the due time shall come." Oh Lord, grant ME true wisdom, and may it ever increase that I might trust You more! It is so easy sometimes in trials to to forget that God loves us, and that He is working all things for the good of His people. The Lord IS faithful to His promises, and He has promised good to His own. Whether in this life or the next, God will fulfill what He has said. He is steering the ship of the believer, and with Him at the helm, who can fear? Remember the promises of God, rest in the knowledge that He will keep them, and wait patiently for your deliverance.
There is another quote of Calvin that I love (not from my readings today): "Seeing that a Pilot steers the ship in which we sail, who will never allow us to perish even in the midst of shipwrecks, there is no reason why our minds should be overwhelmed with fear and overcome with weariness." Oh the beauty and truth in that sentence! In today's day and age, so many people love to say that "God is my copilot, and with God as my copilot, how can anything go wrong?" AAHHH!! That idea terrifies me. I don't want to be in charge. My life with me at the helm would be disastrous. No, me in command is a very bad idea. Humans are so sinful, so depraved, so self-centered, and those without Christ have their ships sailing in sin. As Christians, the current of evil tries to take us off course. With me at the helm, my ship would follow the current and either capsize or be hopelessly lost. Only God can keep a ship on course, only God has a firm and steady hand to steer. It is this God who has promised to be faithful. He will never leave us or forsake us, He has promised good to us, and He will fulfill all that He has decreed toward us. Seek after true wisdom, and surrender yourself to the Pilot who steers the ship into safe harbors.
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