“My Rainbow in the Cloud”
I set My rainbow in the cloud, and
it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth. —Genesis
9:13
It is the will of God that human
beings should get into a right-standing relationship with Him, and His
covenants are designed for this purpose. Why doesn’t God save me? He has
accomplished and provided for my salvation, but I have not yet entered into a
relationship with Him. Why doesn’t God do everything we ask? He has done it.
The point is— will I step into that covenant relationship? All the great
blessings of God are finished and complete, but they are not mine until I enter
into a relationship with Him on the basis of His covenant.
Waiting for God to act is fleshly
unbelief. It means that I have no faith in Him. I wait for Him to do something
in me so I may trust in that. But God won’t do it, because that is not the
basis of the God-and-man relationship. Man must go beyond the physical body and
feelings in his covenant with God, just as God goes beyond Himself in reaching
out with His covenant to man. It is a question of faith in God— a very rare
thing. We only have faith in our feelings. I don’t believe God until He puts
something tangible in my hand, so that I know I have it. Then I say, “Now I
believe.” There is no faith exhibited in that. God says, “Look to Me, and be saved…” (Isaiah 45:22).
When I have really transacted
business with God on the basis of His covenant, letting everything else go,
there is no sense of personal achievement— no human ingredient in it at all.
Instead, there is a complete overwhelming sense of being brought into union
with God, and my life is transformed and radiates peace and joy.
(Taken from Oswald Chambers – “My Utmost for His
Highest” December 6)