Morning Thoughts - by Elder Philip Conley

Morning Thoughts

Isaiah 45:7, "I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things."

This morning, men have the wrong notion of God. When wicked men act willfully and sinfully, men blame God. When judgment from the Lord comes, men act self-righteous. When the Lord blesses man, man thinks that he has earned or is deserving of the blessing. In all of these things, man is foolish and presumptuous. Job was a man that did not charge God foolishly when trouble came. However, I am afraid that most men do not fit into the same category as Job as they are quick to blame and forgetful to thank.

The Lord in this verse takes all the credit and glory for doing mighty works and wonders. When something seems too unimaginable to happen and still does, the Lord is there. When man stands in stupefied awe of something that cannot be reasoned with natural logic, the Lord is the One that is working on that occasion. Many times we hear stories of folks that went through a time of trouble and distress, and looking back, they say, "How in the world did I make it through that?" One can only arrive at one conclusion that the LORD carried them through that trying time.

When peace is in the world, the LORD is there. When judgment comes, the LORD is there. When day breaks and night falls, the LORD has done these things too. He is NOT a clockmaker that winds up the universe and sees how long it will spin. However, He is not in everything that we see happen. He once told Elijah that He was not in a wind, earthquake, and fire. (I Kings 19) However, the Bible speaks of other times when He is in these things.

It should be our course to not get discouraged at what comes our way, but rather, we should always be prayerful that we would look to Him. When we look to Him, the circumstance of light, darkness, peace, war, or evil makes no difference. He has, does, and will deliver His people, and we should never think that He is unable to save. His arm is not shortened; His mercies do not fail and are new every morning. Therefore, let us never say, "What doest thou?" But rather, let us always say, "We are thankful LORD for Thy blessings, mercies, and grace. Deal always mercifully with us, and not with justice as is our just earning."

In Hope,

Bro Philip