Divine Intervention

Peter Emmanuel - 21 December 2021

Human Frailty

The Divine intervention – The Divine intervening in the matters of frail mankind.

During Christmas season, we all hear the familiar song, ‘Joy to the World’ The Lord is come, a call for every heart to prepare Him room, a call for all creation including mankind to repeat the sounding joy and His blessings to flow over every sorrow and curse caused by sin and ends with a triumphant note that He rules the world with truth and grace, where the glories of His righteousness and wonders of His love become the ultimate testimony among the nations.

In reality, the world we live in, communities and homes are challenged with complexities, conflicts and failures that do not align with this Christmas anthem. However, let me tell you I have taken courage to bring this message of victory and triumph that our Lord reigns and has remained faithful to His creation because He intervened in human history by sending His Son to be born in a manger as a baby and showed us the way to overcome our frailty, sin and curse and offering us eternal life.

The Scripture for this message is taken from Apostle Paul’s letter to Philippians 2:5-11

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! Therefore, God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2: 5-11

If we profess that we are Christians, we are aware of our Salvation experience and how it came to be. Jesus the Son of God was sent to this earth to save and reconcile mankind to God.

It is all too familiar that sometimes we miss the point that ‘The Divine intervened into the condition of frailty’.

What does Frailty of mankind imply: Man’s life is compared to that of grass

A voice says, “Cry out.” And I said, “What shall I cry?” “All people are like grass, and all their faithfulness is like the flowers of the field. The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the Lord blows on them. Surely the people are grass. The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.” Isaiah 40:6-8

All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall 1 Peter 1:24

Mortals, born of woman, are of few days and full of trouble. They spring up like flowers and wither away; like fleeting shadows, they do not endure. Job 14:1

The life of mortals is like grass, they flourish like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more. Psalm 103:15-16

We have mistaken or misunderstood our human state or condition if we think we are invincible, too powerful to be defeated or overcome.

Throughout ages, from generation-to-generation people have witnessed alarming pandemic situations.

The three great plague pandemics had different geographic origins and paths of spread. The Justinian Plague of 541 AD started in central Africa and spread to Egypt and the Mediterranean. The Black Death of 1347 originated in Asia and spread to the Crimea then Europe and Russia. The third pandemic or the Bubonic plague, that of 1894, originated in Yunnan, China, and spread to Hong Kong and India, then to the rest of the world. And there are many more recorded in history including the current one we are experiencing ‘Coronavirus disease’.

What do we glean from these recordings in history? For whatever reason the pandemics might have surfaced, we should learn one thing from life experiences, that we have been gifted life here on earth and it is up to us to make the most use of it before it is too late.

So, the next question arises, should we make ourselves happy by indulging in luxury and in the pleasures of this world or lean on godly wisdom to live by the truth, the purposes and plan God has in store for us.

Don’t get me wrong, being wealthy and to enjoy what God has bestowed on us in itself is not wrong. It is the way we expend our money, energy and other resources we have so graciously been blessed with that matters. Applying godly wisdom to the way we live life is the bottom line.

Understanding Divine Nature

The Almighty intervenes in our frailty to restore us and to give us hope

The Divine perspective – This started at the garden of Eden, when Adam and Eve sinned. Since Satan deceived them, Creator God said to Satan (declared an authoritative statement), I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”

Understanding the Divine perspective is to ask God to teach us about the brevity of our lives (shortness of time) Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. Psalm 90:12, understand and embrace the importance of learning to surrender our plans, dreams, and goals to Him. We need to invite an eternal perspective on our temporal plans—a perspective that cultivates wisdom in our lives as we face each day’s challenges, no matter which stage of life we inhabit.

It is very important for us, not to get caught up with the rat race that we so easily get drawn into, a way of life in which people are caught up in a fiercely competitive struggle for wealth or power or fame.

The Divine intervention - Divine intervention is the involvement (intervention) of God (divine) in the affairs of humans. The Almighty intervenes in our frailty to restore us and to give us hope. Following through with His perspective from the beginning of creation, God sent His Son to reconcile mankind to Himself. The gift of Salvation. The gift of His Son Jesus Christ who came to save us. He restores us.

Quoting the well-known Gaither’s Gospel song - God sent His Son, they called Him Jesus He came to love, heal, and forgive He lived and died, to buy my pardon, an empty grave, is there to prove, my Saviour lives. Because He lives, I can face tomorrow Because He lives, all fear is gone Because I know, He holds the future and life is worth, the living just, because He lives.

The purpose of God getting involved in our individual lives is to empower us to overcome every situation that draws us into doom and gloom, a general feeling of pessimism or despondency that results in lowering our spirits from loss of hope or courage.

We have the power of Christ in us, Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you Luke 10:19. This gives us hope.

The Divine providence - God's providence is God's caring provision for his people as he guides them in their journey of faith through life, accomplishing his purpose in them. God's mission is to save people and shape them to be more like Jesus. Offering His sons and daughters life and life in abundance.

So, we see here it did not surprise God when Adam and Eve sinned. He was the one who gave them the freedom of choice. In His wisdom, God offered the Salvation plan to reconcile human race to Himself. For we know one thing that God knows the end from the beginning. A perspective that we cannot possess, for this is the prerogative of the Divine. I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.’ Isaiah 46:10

Understanding the Divine providence, even in the midst of chaos, hardship, trials and tribulations:

When we see things happening all around us, sometimes we may be led to doubt if God is ever seeing, understanding or acting upon to correct situations that are going so wrong. Personally, we might have grief of losing a loved one, loss of job, a relationship that has gone sour or ill health that leaves us with fear and anxiety of the future. Let us not give up for we have the power of Christ in us to go through every trial and come out victorious. How do we know this? When we get to understand God’s heart from His perspective.

If we need to understand God’s heart and how He perceives and reacts to the things that are going so wrong in this world, we need to re-visit and reflect on what God was doing when majority of the people were turning against His Son who was sinless, yet God allowed His Son to die the gruesome death on the cross like a criminal during that time. What does this reveal to us?

It reveals the Father’s heart for His creation, His love for us that has no limit. For He saw the end from the beginning that we needed a Saviour to once and for all cleanse us from sin and that we need not be separated from Him. This is the love of God.

If that is the heart of God, can we trust Him regarding the life of our spouses, children, parents, other members of the family and our friends? Even in the midst of our trials and difficulties we need to embrace one thing the faithfulness of our God, His love, mercy and grace that never changes. He is always there for us and with us in whatever we are facing now, remember the battle is the Lord’s.

Now it should make sense to thank Him, sing His praises when at home, in hospitals, in prisons, workplaces, with friends, colleagues and when we gather corporately to worship Him in Church. Thank Him and praise Him in the morning, noon and night, when we are low, high, when in want, when in plenty, in sickness, in chains, when free and when curtailed and surrounded by enemies. We should continue to sing His praises for He preparest a table before me in the presence of my enemies, He anoints my head with oil, my cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.

Jesus’ response to God’s permissive will - We all know from the Scriptures that; Jesus Christ was obedient to His Father and trusted His Father by committing Himself to be sacrificed for the purpose of reconciling mankind to their Creator.

A call for us as individuals to respond from a position of identity and strength:

Understanding God’s purpose in creating us:

We were created for His glory (Isaiah 43:7) We were created through Him and for Him (Colossians 1:16) We were created to be conformed to the image of His Son and our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ (Romans 8:29) We were created to serve Him faithfully (1 Samuel 12:24) We were created to be His people (Leviticus 26:12) We were created to be His friends (John 15:14-15) We were created to be His sons and daughters (2 Corinthians 6:18 / Luke 6:35)

I have mentioned this several times, losing my earthly father at a very young age, I learned to embrace my heavenly Father as my dad. The identity that I so desperately embraced. For we were created to be His sons and daughters.

God’s love for us, the identity that we have in Him and His invitation to embrace all that we were created to be should make us overwhelmed with joy unexplainable and with spontaneity respond, ‘Here I am Lord – fill me, send me and use me’.

Understand God’s love and our identity in Him that gives us strength:

I could not be emphasising more in stating that my heavenly Father has been so faithful to me even in the midst of crises situations, losing loved ones, ill health issues within family and many more. I can confidently state that when I run into His arms, His love surrounds me, and He comforts me and gives me the confidence as a dad would encourage his son to face life as is. He imparts words of wisdom and words of knowledge to help me understand my current situation and directs my path.

In our frailty, when we feel discouraged and let down from time to time, when we don’t see the desires of our hearts unfold before us. We may be tempted to compare ourselves with others around us and see the inequality or be judgmental and notice the unfairness we have been dished out in life, in comparative terms.

On the other hand, when we experience the love of God and our identity in Him and internalise the cost that was expended at Calvary, we will not be debating lifestyles and compare life experiences but have the one thing that will blow our minds away is the surpassing knowledge of God’s love to us as individuals or as communities. We will then be sharing this love we have experienced, with each and every person we come in contact with.

Understand Divine help that is available to us: In order to experience God’s power, wisdom and love impacting our frailty, changing us for the better. We need to cultivate a Personal relationship with Jesus Christ and be led by the Holy Spirit.

In order to experience God’s power, wisdom and love, we need to know the person of Jesus Christ and exemplify the Holy Spirit in us.

Person of Jesus Christ: He was both Divine and Human

Jesus Christ when He came into this world, took the form of a human being but remained sinless. He was tempted by the Devil, He felt pain, He had emotions and was opposed by those who did not understand Him. His teachings were questioned by the religious leaders of the Synagogue.

Jesus Christ though He entered the world as a child in human form, was also Divine, He was commended by God the Father on two occasions for the benefit of those around Him. First when John the Baptist baptised Him and second at the Mount of Transfiguration. Scripture states that Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God – 1 Corinthians 1:24

Pursue an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. We, though human, we need to imitate Christ and pursue a blameless life, embracing godly wisdom that is pure, peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. (James 3:17)

We can exhibit God’s power in and through our life by surrendering to His will in every situation thereby bringing glory to Him, knowing for sure His power will protect and enable us to accomplish the impossible, allowing us to operate in the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

We are to be propelled by His love to introduce Him to the world, this love that casts out fear and surpass knowledge that we may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Holy Spirit – An advocate who supports and guides us

Holy Spirit was sent to us as a Helper or Comforter. Jesus Himself says to His disciples - But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. John 14:26

Holy Spirit in us reminds us as to who we are and whose we are. He helps us to live a blameless life and to lead by example a life full of the fruit of the Spirit with Godly wisdom.

He bestows us with His gifts so that we can demonstrate God’s power working in and through us, to bring glory to Him to accomplish the impossible.

He heals, restores, and empowers our whole being, surrounding us with His love so that we become a blessing in order to bless others.

Conclusion:

We are now in the midst of the Advent or Christmas season, where in we celebrate this Divine intervention into frailty of human race.

Divine intervention into our frailty is for a definite purpose, that we from a fallen state may once again experience His presence with us, enjoy the freedom and live a life filled with His wisdom, power and love so that we too could introduce many more to the Person of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit so that they may also gain access to their Heavenly Father, the Creator God.

Apostle Paul prays for the believers in Ephesus in this manner and let this be our prayer for one another too.

I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:16-19) Amen.

Have a wonderful Christmas everyone and a blessed New year filled with all joy, hope, peace and His blessings from above.