Gods Sabbath

P UTTING T HEORY INTO P RACTICE

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“By your patience possess your souls firm you will gain life.” Luke 21:19. ( NKJV). “We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.” He brews 6:12.

Our Part

The divinely formulated solution to the problem may involve our participation, or it may not.

When we have no active part An example of when it did not involve the active participation of the person in trouble, was when David was forced to march with the Philistines against the Israelites. David committed the problem to God but saw no evidence that the Lord had even heard his prayer, nor was he called upon to do anything. In stead, mighty angels were sent to the Philistine lords to influ ence them to do the work of persuading the king on David’s be half. Meanwhile he did nothing to solve his problem himself but waited patiently for the Lord to instruct him about the next steps to be taken. Likewise, we will find that there are times when God does not use us and gives us no part to play in the solution of our prob lem. Others may be directed to make moves which will untangle the mess we find ourselves in, while we quietly go about our dai ly responsibilities. When we do have an active part to play At other times, we will have a part to play. It depends on the nature of the problem, and the solution the Lord has chosen. An example of such an occasion would be the experience of Naaman recorded in 2 Kings 5. This captain of the host of the king of Syria was stricken with leprosy. Encouraged by a young girl who was serving in his house, he went to Israel to the proph et Elisha and gave him his problem. In Naaman’s case the solu tion involved his own participation of which he was informed at the right time: “Elisha sent a messenger to say to him, ‘Go, wash