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"Indeed the hour is coming . . . that you will be
scattered . . ." — John 16:32
Jesus was not rebuking the disciples in this passage. Their faith was real, but
it was disordered and unfocused, and was not at work in the important realities
of life. The disciples were scattered to their own concerns and they had
interests apart from Jesus Christ. After we have the perfect relationship with
God, through the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit, our faith must be
exercised in the realities of everyday life. We will be scattered, not into
service but into the emptiness of our lives where we will see ruin and
barrenness, to know what internal death to God’s blessings means. Are we
prepared for this? It is certainly not of our own choosing, but God engineers
our circumstances to take us there. Until we have been through that experience,
our faith is sustained only by feelings and by blessings. But once we get there,
no matter where God may place us or what inner emptiness we experience, we can
praise God that all is well. That is what is meant by faith being exercised in
the realities of life.
". . . you . . . will leave Me alone." Have we been scattered and have we left
Jesus alone by not seeing His providential care for us? Do we not see God at
work in our circumstances? Dark times are allowed and come to us through the
sovereignty of God. Are we prepared to let God do what He wants with us? Are we
prepared to be separated from the outward, evident blessings of God? Until Jesus
Christ is truly our Lord, we each have goals of our own which we serve. Our
faith is real, but it is not yet permanent. And God is never in a hurry. If we
are willing to wait, we will see God pointing out that we have been interested
only in His blessings, instead of in God Himself. The sense of God’s blessings
is fundamental
". . . be of good cheer, I have overcome the world" ( John 16:33 ). Unyielding
spiritual fortitude is what we need.
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Daily Morning and Evening Devotionals by Spurgeon
Wisdom from the Desert Devotional
Daily Devotional with Oswald Chambers Archives
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