Month: August 2022

by John O’Malley

Press Play. Press Pause.

In a digital world, these are familiar terms. Whether in Eastern or Western society, these terms have meaning. Play and Pause allow us to control the timing of what we want to see and hear.

In life, we do not get to push Play or Pause; God does.

God wrote the narrative of our lives. He chose the main and minor characters for the story of our lives. He decided the context for our lives. He set us in our location on the globe. He needs us for Him to get maximum glory.

Job knew God wrote his story. (Job 23:1)

God placed Job when and where He needed him. God chose the characters who spoke in Job’s life. God chose the context of suffering for Job as the canvas on which He would bring Himself glory through Job’s responses and reactions.

Elihu said to Job, “Hearken unto this, O Job: Stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God.” (Job 37:14) When I read Elihu’s words, it is as if he calls Job to see his moment of suffering as God pressing Pause on Job’s life. Elihu called Job to see suffering as a moment to consider God’s script for Job.

It is good for everyone to see that God is working in the pauses of life.

Our context cannot and will not hinder God from working.

God wrote the script of your life. He chose you for the moment through which you are going. He even chose the Pause. Perhaps God chose your Pause for you to consider Him and what he has done, is doing, and can do.

Are you paused for the moment? Look around. Consider God’s work.

Yours for the harvest,
John O’Malley

by John O’Malley

The road of grief often feels lonely. No one gets your grief as you do. Several men and women of the Bible experienced this lonely road. 

Hagar knew grief. She thirsted. She just wanted her kid to live. She found herself in a situation not of her own making. Ishmael was given up to die, but God showed up. So many religious and racial issues could divide, but God still cared about the seed of Abraham. God said, “I see you.” God bore Hagar’s grief.

Job knew grief. He lost all. He wanted to please God, but he wanted a family. What was so terrible about that? Satan brought a plethora of trials to Job — with God’s permission. Job called his companions “miserable comforters.” God bore Job’s grief.

Isaiah knew grief. God chose him as a liaison to His children. God promised forgiveness to His people but consequences if they persisted in disobedience. They rejected God’s offer over and over. Isaiah continually received and delivered bad news. Burden followed burden. No light awaited Isaiah at the end of the tunnel. No silver lining for Isaiah’s lifetime. Yet God spoke comfort to Isaiah and told him of the coming Savior. God bore Isaiah’s grief.

Who was this Savior? A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. This Man of Sorrows wept and sweated drops of blood as He prepared to take the weight of humanity’s sin. He knew His Father would turn away from His Only Begotten. The very people He came to save would spurn Him. Our human minds cannot grasp the grief of our Savior that night.

How did our Savior respond? Surely he hath borne our griefs. Our Savior not only knows and relates to our grief but also bears it. From bearing our sins to bearing our burdens, God carries them in divine love. The rest of the verse says, “Surely he hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.”

• • • God bears your grief in rejection.
    • God bears your grief in a loss.
    • God bears your grief when it gets worse.

You are not alone in grief or any other human condition. God bears your grief.

Yours for the harvest,

John O’Malley

If this article has been an encouragement to you, you can email Bro. O’Malley here to let him know.