Withheld

[0:00] A Pastor's Reflections, Withheld. Genesis 20, verse 6. And God said unto him in a dream, Yea, I know that thou did this in the integrity of thy heart, for I also withheld thee.

[0:15] Numbers 22, verses 32 through 34. And the angel of the Lord said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thy donkey these three times? Behold, I went out to withstand thee, and the donkey saw me, and turned from me these three times.

[0:33] Unless she had turned from me, surely now also I had slain thee, and saved her alive. And Balaam said unto the angel of the Lord, I have sinned, for I knew not that thou stood in the way against me.

[0:47] John 18, verses 10 and 11. Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it, and smote the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Melchus.

[1:01] Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath, the cup which my father has given me. Shall I not drink it? In Genesis 20, God explained to Abimelech in a dream that he had been actively protecting Abimelech from sinning.

[1:18] What Abimelech thought was his own decision, or just a strange coincidence, was actually direct intervention by God. God was withholding Abimelech. All throughout scripture, we are given examples of God intervening in the decisions of man.

[1:35] God will allow his people to go so far, but there comes a point where dad needs to intervene. Job 38, 11. And he said, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further.

[1:49] In our examples from scripture above, Abimelech, Balaam, and Peter were all withheld from their current course of action. From their standpoint, it was as if God had stopped them from doing what was very sensible and natural.

[2:05] I imagine that they were a bit put out by being so abruptly checked. Imagine if God had not intervened. Imagine if God had not withheld.

[2:16] Abimelech would have taken Sarah to wife and made the birth of the son of promise, Isaac, impossible. Balaam would have cursed God's people and proven to the pagan nations around Israel that God was not big enough to protect his people.

[2:32] And Peter, he would have started a bloodbath, that probably would have ended in the death of all the disciples and possibly even Jesus. You see, when God withholds, it is not to keep us from something, but to keep us for something.

[2:49] Abimelech was withheld for the protection of the son of promise. Balaam was withheld for the blessing of God's people. And Peter, he was withheld for the sake of the cross.

[3:02] Acts 16, verses 6 and 9. Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia and were forbidden of the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia, a vision appeared to Paul in the night.

[3:15] There stood a man of Macedonia and prayed him saying, come over into Macedonia and help us. What may appear to us as a roadblock, a messed up schedule, or an unlooked for change of plans could very well be the direct intervention of the hand of God.

[3:32] You may be able to discern God's hand at such times, or you may not, but either way, you can still choose to leave everything in God's hand. You can trust that God can and will work through your circumstances to bless your life and bring you into alignment with his will.

[3:51] Don't let an unlooked-for interruption withhold you from experiencing all that God has for you. Know that in each and every moment, God is in the details. Leave the directing to him.

[4:03] You trust and follow. Romans 8, 32. He that withheld not his own son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

[4:19] Father, when I see an interruption, perhaps you see a rescue. Help me to trust the daily frustrations to you just as I entrust the daily blessings to you.

[4:30] Thank you for withholding me from foolish decisions and hurtful outcomes. Thank you for not withholding your son of promise, Jesus. Amen.