Charles Stanley (October-15-2024) Daily Devotional: Keep an Eye Out.
God will work everything out for your good—even when life seems hopeless.
Acts 17:24-31 - ``The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things; and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, `For we also are His children.' ``Being then the children of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and thought of man. ``Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead."
At times God’s work is dramatically obvious—as when He parted the Red Sea to deliver His people from slavery in Egypt. And at other times, what He does is inconspicuous. For example, the air in our lungs is provided by Him daily. Either way, He is always accomplishing something, whether we perceive it or not. Imagine how greatly we’ll be blessed if we can increase our awareness of how God is orchestrating all things for our good (Romans 8:28 - And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose).
The demands of a busy schedule sometimes leave little room for quiet moments in God’s presence. Without periods of meditation and prayer, our spiritual senses become dull. But when we regularly communicate with our Father and spend time pondering His Word, we will see things more clearly. Then we can better appreciate all that He is working to accomplish in, through, and for us.
The same is true in our prayer life. For instance, we readily acknowledge the Lord’s intervention and rejoice when it occurs on our behalf. But if our request isn’t granted or timing doesn’t match ours, we might incorrectly conclude He’s inactive. However, today’s reading demonstrates the magnitude of God’s power and care, and we can watch with joyful expectancy for whatever He chooses to bring about.
