Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!

 1 Corinthians 7

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! Romans 11:33

As I continue to ponder what to study next, my Bible study this morning once again leans on DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotion, which today draws on history to describe how Abraham Lincoln leaned into God, despite likely earlier skepticism, during a time of both personal and professional anguish.  John Piper shares how after the passing of his 11-year old son Willie, "Lincoln turned to Phineas Gurley, pastor of the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church in Washington."  Piper also highlights how the Civil War raged at the same time, and that Lincoln - as president, sought solace from from Willie's passing and the unimaginable death and destruction that accompanied the war, which in many instances was fought within earshot of the White House.  Other sources point to how Lincoln turned towards God during this time.  Piper records Lincoln's turn towards God by noting: [t]he horrors of the dead and wounded soldiers assaulted him daily. There were fifty hospitals for the wounded in Washington. The rotunda of the Capitol held two thousand cots for wounded soldiers. Typically, fifty soldiers a day died in these temporary hospitals. All of this drove Lincoln deeper into the providence of God. 'We cannot but believe, that He who made the world still governs it.'"  Piper points to one additional source where we see a more mature Lincoln faith - as demonstrated in his second inaugural address - as he notes that God is not "a simple supporter for the Union or Confederate cause. God has his own purposes and does not excuse sin on either side."  Piper concludes the devotion by praying for readers that for those of us "who suffer loss and injury and great sorrow that it will awaken for you, as it did for Lincoln, not an empty fatalism, but a deeper reliance on the infinite wisdom and love of God’s inscrutable providence."

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer:  Lord Jesus, Your riches and wisdom and knowledge are great and Your justice is perfect - Your mercies are new every morning and they never cease....amazing that You love me, saved me and never leave or forsake me.  Thank You Jesus I am not deserving of such love and blessings.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

For the waves of death encompassed me, the torrents of destruction assailed me....This God--his way is perfect[.]

2 Samuel 22

For the waves of death encompassed me, the torrents of destruction assailed me....This God--his way is perfect[.] 2 Samuel 22:5,31a

I maintain a pause of my study of 1 Corinthians as I continue using DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotion, which today looks at How to Contemplate Calamity, using a devotion by the same name.  Piper starts the devotion by pointing to the book of Job - a Bible book that explores loss and suffering.  Piper then points to the massive Indian Ocean tsunami that occurred nineteen years ago today, an epic tragedy that killed more than 200,000, including vacationing Norwegian relatives of my wife Lisa.  Of course, this is an extreme example of calamity, but all of us experience tragedy, suffering, etc., although for most of us it rarely reaches such epic proportions.  Such tragedy, regardless of the scale and impact, leads many, including believers, to question the role of God.  Piper refers us to Job 1:21 and 42:11 as he shares God's providence over all things, including tragedy, suffering, trials, pain, etc.  Piper also highlights 2 Samuel 22:5 and 31 where David sings a song of deliverance from the hands of Saul.  In light of tragedy and suffering and how scripture helps us, Piper moves to share five "crucial implications" in the form of lessons for believers:

1. Satan is not ultimate; God is - "Satan is real. Satan brings misery. But Satan is not ultimate or decisive. He is on a leash. He goes no farther than God decisively permits."
2.  Even if Satan caused that tsunami in the Indian Ocean the day after Christmas, 2004, he is not the decisive cause of over 200,000 deaths; God is - see also Psalm 89:8-9, Luke 8:24.
3. Destructive calamities in this world mingle judgment and mercy - "The clearest illustration of this is the death of Jesus. It was both judgment and mercy. It was judgment on Jesus because he bore our sins (not his own), and it was mercy toward us who trust him to bear our punishment and be our righteousness.  Another example is the curse and miseries that have come on this earth because of the fall of Adam and Eve. Those who never believe in Christ experience it as judgment, but believers experience it as merciful, though painful — a preparation for glory. See also James 5:11, Galatians 3:13, 1 Peter 2:24, 2 Corinthians 5:21, Romans 8:20.
4. The heart that Christ gives to his people feels compassion for those who suffer, no matter what their faith is - "Pain is pain, no matter who causes it. We are all sinners. Empathy flows not from the causes of pain, but from the company of pain. And we are all in it together." See also Romans 12:15.
5. Finally, Christ calls us to show mercy to those who suffer, even if they do not deserve it - "That is the meaning of mercy — undeserved help."  This means that we are to show mercy to those we might otherwise call our enemies.  See also Luke 6:27, Romans 5:10.

Comment and discuss this post. 

My Prayer: Lord You are good - no matter the circumstances.  I know You never change and You are just, good, merciful, etc.  Thank You for how You never change and how I can count on You as You are faithful.  I am not deserving of Your faithfulness.  My sin is great and it continues....daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith. Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.