Joni And Friends Daily Devotional 4th September 2024, Wednesday Message
TOPIC:A Lesson from Mildew
“When you enter the land of Canaan, which I am giving you as your possession, and I put a spreading mildew in a house in that land, the owner of the house must go and tell the priest.” Leviticus 14:34-35
Today’s Message
We tend to think that God’s sovereignty—that is, his “having been decided beforehand” decree—only comes into play when monumental things are at stake: the salvation of humanity, the fate of entire nations, the rise and fall of despots, or other rare and special occasions.
Everyday occurrences like sow bugs in the shower, however, happen on automatic pilot, we think. Just because God foreordains big things doesn’t mean his hand is behind absolutely everything.
Throughout Leviticus God gives instructions to Israel regarding the most mundane and ordinary situations. In today’s verse God dispenses instructions for dealing with mildew—a household nuisance but hardly something affecting the fate of entire nations. When people could see a spreading mildew placed by God, Old Testament homeowners were to call for a priest, who would follow certain procedures to eradicate the microbes.
Again, this was for a mildew spread by God. But how do folks distinguish God-sent mildew from the kind that just creeps across walls without divine assistance? The Bible doesn’t say. I wonder why (smile)?
Nothing happens outside God’s decree. Nothing good, nothing bad, nothing pleasant, nothing tragic. Not in my life, not in yours. We may not fathom God’s reasons; we may not agree with his thinking; we may love him for it or we may hate him for it. But in simple language, God “works out everything for his own ends—even the wicked” (Prov. 16:4), and God “is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him” (Ps. 115:3).
God is not in heaven pushing buttons on his remote. The fact is, his decree keeps absolutely everything in balance. If he did not control bad things—from mildew to mayhem—our world would be worse, a whole lot worse, than the headaches and hardships we face today. Think of five nuisances in your life today, and use them as a means to thank God for balance in your life (Estes).
PRAY: I am so glad, so relieved, that you are in control, dear Lord.
Joni Eareckson Tada is an American evangelical Christian author, radio host, artist, and founder of Joni and Friends, an organization “accelerating Christian ministry in the disability community”