This Day in History: 0000-09-06

September 6 – 1 Timothy 5:24-25

Remember, the sins of some people are obvious, leading them to certain judgement.
But there are others whose sins will not be revealed until later.
In the same way, the good deeds of some people are obvious.
And the good deeds done in secret will someday come to light.

The Sovereign Lord is watching, and He is faithfully sanctifying those who are His. Nothing goes under His radar, but not everything is being dealt with today either. Do we trust Him?

I believe there are two sides to this coin. On the one hand, this passage assures us of God’s omniscience and His justice. He sees it all, and He can be counted on to deal with it all.  When it seems like people are getting away with sin, we can rest in the knowledge that His justice will be served in the end. When it seems like other people are working their tails off for His glory with no accolades, we can know He sees, and He will reward the faithful in His time.

On the flip side of that coin, this passage also acts as an assurance that God’s sanctifying work is not all done in a day. We all have areas of sinfulness we may not even be aware of today. That’s okay. God has not chosen to deal with it just yet, but you can rest assured, He will! When the time is right, He’ll bring those sins to light and we’ll have the opportunity to repent and choose obedience from that day forward. In so doing, we’ll be conformed just a little bit more into the image of His Son.

I, for one, am so thankful I don’t have to focus on all the evil in my heart at once! I can simply seek and follow God and rest in the assurance that He will lead me according to His will. He’ll faithfully refine me bit by bit over the course of my entire life. He’ll chip away at my pride today, my selfishness tomorrow, and my foolishness the next offering to teach me humility, selflessness, and wisdom along the way.

At the same time, I find such comfort and peace knowing He’s doing the same for everyone else! I don’t have to worry about sin that seems to have gone unchecked in the life of another. God sees it, and He is handling it, and it will be dealt with in His time and in His way. My only responsibility is to be obedient in how He leads me. If I need to speak into the situation He will lead me to do so. If I need to be silent, He’ll reveal that as well. What freedom!

Friends, the ultimate point in all of this is simple: our Great God can be trusted! With us, with others, we’re all His dearly loved daughters and sons, and His work is never finished. May we find comfort in His sovereignty.