Only Heaven Knows
2 Kings 6:16
“Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”
Have you ever heard the expression, ‘Only heaven knows?’ For me, it signifies that whoever said that, has no answer to a posed question, a perplexing situation or some other puzzling instance. It may have also been used to end my endless questions, by exhausted grandparents.
In my devotional today by Dr. Jeremiah, he made a statement:
“Only heaven will reveal the times in our life when God protected us without our ever being aware that we were in danger.1
Divine knowledge
I must admit, that first line stopped me in my tracks. I wonder, will such things be revealed to us? Will we suddenly have knowledge of our life we did not have before? Will it be necessary for us to know? Or will it just be a bonus, confirming the faith that brought us there. A justification of sorts. We will after all be in heaven, in the presence of God Almighty, eternally. Do we need to know? We have all the proof before us. What more could there be?
I would want to know
But, deep inside, I think I would want to know. Just to see and realize the full magnitude of his constant provision and protection, all of my life. As I age, I see glimpses of God’s provision and protection all the time. Mostly it’s through hindsight, but there are other instances where I think it is God at work around me.
Midnight train
I know what you are thinking, but it is not a midnight train to Georgia. It was to Vienna.
This is one example of hindsight and it comes from early in my life, as a child, even before I believed in God, other than to be afraid of him. My parents, my brother and I were on a midnight train travelling from Prague, where I was born and raised, to Vienna, Austria. I thought we were going on a holiday. We were leaving permanently.
The train was stopped at the Czech/Austrian border and for three hours, soldiers carrying automatic weapons, in full sight, were inspecting the train. For three hours we sat and waited. In the end, the train was released and we reached Vienna a few hours later. On arrival, we learned that the Czech border was closed and nobody could leave for many months.
God’s provision and protection
Now, I see this as God’s provision and protection. God had gone before us, preparing the way for us to be able to leave Czechoslovakia (as it was known then) and come to Canada. Why? Perhaps because as a child of six, when I was learning about God, I understood him to be mean and merciless, someone to be afraid of. (A story for another day.)
But, God, in His divine mercy, wanted to show this little girl that He was the very opposite. He was not a God to be feared, but to be loved.
Daily glimpses
I see other glimpses of God’s constant provision and protection, especially in the lives of our children and grandchildren. But, that is all they are, glimpses. My faith tells me there is so much more!
Yet, that is the crux, isn’t’ it? FAITH. We are to live by faith. Through faith, we believe and it is our faith that brings God’s mercy and salvation.
Hebrews 11:6
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
So, although we cannot know and see all that God does around us on a daily basis, we trust in His provision and protection. That is His love, being expressed in a tangible way.
Have you seen a glimpse of God in your life, if so, please share it with me? I would love to know.
Only heaven knows…
Blessings,
Jana
1 Dr. Jeremiah Daily Devotional: click here.
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