God’s Unexpected Ways

We're so glad you're joining us for today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread. I'm James Banks and I titled our reading today, God's Unexpected Ways. The pastor squinted over his sermon, holding the pages close to his face so he could see the words.

He was extremely nearsighted and read each carefully chosen phrase with an unimposing monotone voice. But God's Spirit moved through Jonathan Edwards preaching to fan the revival fires of the first great awakening and bring thousands to faith in Christ. God often uses unexpected things to accomplish his perfect purposes. Writing about his plan to draw wayward humanity near through Jesus' loving death for us on a cross, in 1 Corinthians Paul concludes, But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. The world expected divine wisdom to look like our own and to come with irresistible force. Instead, Jesus came humbly and gently to save us from our sins and so became for us wisdom from God, that is, our righteousness, loneliness, and redemption. The eternal and all wise God became a human baby who would grow to adulthood and suffer and die and be raised to life in order to lovingly show us the way home to him. He loves to use humble means and people to accomplish great things we could never achieve in our own strength.

If we're willing, he may even use us. Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is a fascinating passage from 1 Corinthians chapter 1 verses 21 through 31. For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.

Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards. Not many were influential.

Not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise. God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things and the things that are not to nullify the things that are so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus who has become for us wisdom from God that is our righteousness, holiness, and redemption. Therefore, as it is written, let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord. Let's pray. Loving Father, thank you for your unexpected ways. We boast in you and ask that you help us to follow you closely today, our wonderful savior, our strength in all things, so that we may be used for what's pleasing to you. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Thank you for listening today. My name is James Banks, and today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.