Turn mourning into Glory
Numbers 16:38, “As for the censers of these men who have sinned at the cost of their lives, let them be made into hammered sheets for a plating of the altar, since they did present them before the LORD and they are holy ; and they shall be for a sign to the sons of Israel.”
Only God can! The Israelites had sinned against God by questioning Moses even though they knew that he was the man whom God had chosen to lead them. They questioned why he was trying to say that he was “all that”, and everyone had to follow his lead. The Israelites got prideful and jealous because it sounded as if Moses were acting high and mighty. The Israelites sinned against God by questioning Moses’ authority, so god told them to bring their censer’s that they used to offer incense before God, and He would show them the man that He had chosen. The men who had opposed Moses were consumed by the Lord, and God told Moses that he should take the censer’s, and beat them into plating to go around the altar to serve as a memorial for the sons of Israel.
There is no one but the Lord God who can take a tragic event in our lives and set that up as a marker for turning our mourning into His glory. Yesterday, at church I was talking to an old friend; someone I’ve known since High School(my time of mourning). I told her that even though I could not see it at the time God used those events in my life to draw me closer to Him, and it happened for His glory.(My testimony) Some people say that it proves God is an unfair God because sometimes our sorrow seems to be for nothing but God proving a point to Satan. Take, for example the first few chapters of the book of Job; Job’s suffering seems to have no pirpose other than God showing Satan how great He is, but if you read the entire book then you get a full understanding that Job was not used as a human pawn in a chess game between God and Satan; in the end he was rewarded by God because of his faithfulness, and the suffering he endured became a marker in his life to shine God’s glory.
The Bible, and the lives of many people remind us that tragedy always shows God! God is in the midst of every tragedy bringing comfort to those who let Him, and shining His glory where it sometimes seems darkest. Take for example the cross of Christ! Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, walked on this earth for 33 years sharing the love of God, and suddenly the forces of Satan took over and the Savior sent by God was nailed to a cruel Roman cross. To the followers of Jesus all hope seemed to be lost, but when we feel as if all hope is lost if we only look to God then we will see His glory shining. After Jesus was murdered by the Roman government His followers kept looking to God as they had learned from Him, and the Glory of God appeared.
At times in our life we will go through events that seem unbearable, and we will wonder how in the world can God’s glory shine, or even be present, in this. I wish I had some magical formula to give you, so that you could instantly see God; but truth be told it is often impossible to see His glory in our pain. However, I have learned one thing in my life; if we keep focused on Him, even in pain, then His glory will show up, and we will be rewarded!
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Father, I thank You for shining Your glory on my life, and I ask that You draw me close to You even in my mourning. In Jesus’ name, Amen
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Yes, You Can Ministry 