Reason #40
I have the bad habit of replaying conversations in my mind. My sweet mother has been my built-in counselor through out my lifetime, however, the past few months have called for some pretty serious counseling sessions. As we had one of our many "why" sessions my mom made a comment that popped back into my head this morning. She said, "Brittnye, may never understand why things happened the way they did. We knew the hammer had to fall one day, but we never thought, and certainly never hoped, that it would be in this manner."
In Genesis 6, God does something he had never done before and hasn't done since. He looked down on humanity and saw how wicked and evil his creations had become. He was incredibly upset at what he saw and regretted ever creating man. God decided that he would wipe out humanity by completely flooding the earth. Although a devastating event was about to happen, we see that God had already crafted a plan for redemption. He found favor with a man named Noah, so the Lord told Noah to build an ark so that he and his family would be saved from the flood. Of course one can't build a boat without using a hammer and nails, and so the hammer fell... clink, clink, clink.
In Exodus 25, the Lord tells Moses that he desires to dwell among the Israelites. His chosen people have been wandering for quite some time and God had been faithful to provide a cloud by day and pillar of fire by night to guide them. However, the time is come for him to walk WITH them. He gives them instructions to build an ark for his dwelling place. In fact, this very ark stops the water flowing in the Jordan River so that the Israelites can cross it and head into the promised land. This, of course, was only one of the many challenges faced by the Israelites during their journey. The Lord knew how his people desperately needed his presence amongst them as they traveled along, thus the ark was built. We know that it's quite impossible to craft anything from wood without using nails and hammer, and so the hammer fell... clink, clink, clink.
In Exodus 34, Moses met with the Lord on Mount Sinai to discuss the ten commandments. The Lord tells Moses to chisel tablets out of stone. The ten commandments were given by the Lord, himself, although he knew that his people would have a really difficult time following them. One can't chisel stone without a sharp object and a hammer, and so the hammer fell... clink, clink, clink.
We fast forward a few thousand years and of course humanity has continued in its evil ways. The Lord had promised not to wipe out humanity again, so now was the time for the rest of the redemption plan to begin. This time, rather than having an ark built for his presence, he sent his son, Jesus, to live among the people. Those ten commandments had been broken again and again and again, and now it was time for the law to be defeated. Well, we know that victory couldn't have happened without nailing our Savior to a wooden cross. One can't drive nails through hands and feet without using a hammer, and so the hammer fell... clink, clink, clink.
The hammer. A powerful tool. The hammer is used to build and the hammer is used to demolish. The way I see it, the work of the hammer brings about redemption. Sometimes the hammer strikes hard, but the hammer always strikes with a purpose.
The hammer struck and the Lord reminded me that, "my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." (Isaiah 55:8-9)
...clink, clink, clink
#40 - Because he strikes with a purpose.
"I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth." - Job 19:25
In Genesis 6, God does something he had never done before and hasn't done since. He looked down on humanity and saw how wicked and evil his creations had become. He was incredibly upset at what he saw and regretted ever creating man. God decided that he would wipe out humanity by completely flooding the earth. Although a devastating event was about to happen, we see that God had already crafted a plan for redemption. He found favor with a man named Noah, so the Lord told Noah to build an ark so that he and his family would be saved from the flood. Of course one can't build a boat without using a hammer and nails, and so the hammer fell... clink, clink, clink.
In Exodus 25, the Lord tells Moses that he desires to dwell among the Israelites. His chosen people have been wandering for quite some time and God had been faithful to provide a cloud by day and pillar of fire by night to guide them. However, the time is come for him to walk WITH them. He gives them instructions to build an ark for his dwelling place. In fact, this very ark stops the water flowing in the Jordan River so that the Israelites can cross it and head into the promised land. This, of course, was only one of the many challenges faced by the Israelites during their journey. The Lord knew how his people desperately needed his presence amongst them as they traveled along, thus the ark was built. We know that it's quite impossible to craft anything from wood without using nails and hammer, and so the hammer fell... clink, clink, clink.
In Exodus 34, Moses met with the Lord on Mount Sinai to discuss the ten commandments. The Lord tells Moses to chisel tablets out of stone. The ten commandments were given by the Lord, himself, although he knew that his people would have a really difficult time following them. One can't chisel stone without a sharp object and a hammer, and so the hammer fell... clink, clink, clink.
We fast forward a few thousand years and of course humanity has continued in its evil ways. The Lord had promised not to wipe out humanity again, so now was the time for the rest of the redemption plan to begin. This time, rather than having an ark built for his presence, he sent his son, Jesus, to live among the people. Those ten commandments had been broken again and again and again, and now it was time for the law to be defeated. Well, we know that victory couldn't have happened without nailing our Savior to a wooden cross. One can't drive nails through hands and feet without using a hammer, and so the hammer fell... clink, clink, clink.
The hammer. A powerful tool. The hammer is used to build and the hammer is used to demolish. The way I see it, the work of the hammer brings about redemption. Sometimes the hammer strikes hard, but the hammer always strikes with a purpose.
The hammer struck and the Lord reminded me that, "my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." (Isaiah 55:8-9)
...clink, clink, clink
#40 - Because he strikes with a purpose.
"I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth." - Job 19:25