Seeing Life As God Sees It
by Marian Kinahan

The phrase "seeing life as God sees it" comes to mind when I think back on our recent Irish Conference. Over the weekend in Dublin we looked at situations in our lives, watched a video on the life of John Wycliffe–the first man to translate the Bible into English–and listened to a tape by Chuck Swindoll on the book of Esther. The thread that runs through all of these and through the June weekend is that of letting God have His way in our lives.

There were some among us who had to see that admitting sin is not enough; unless we confess our sin we are not agreeing with God, and so not then turning away from sin. Yet another saw that she could not go "God’s way on her own terms"–a contradiction in itself. As Chuck Swindoll said in his tape, "God and God alone is calling the shots in this thing called life." We can either let Him have His way or retain our right to fight. "There is a way that seems right to a man but in the end it leads to death" (Prov. 14:12).

God’s sovereignty and invincible power are seen throughout the book of Esther, yet His name is not mentioned once. In order to save the Jews, Esther risked death by approaching the King in the inner court without being summoned. Earlier Mordecai had to put it to her that God would deliver the Jews anyway but that she and her family would die. Mordecai encourages Esther to see life as God sees it: "And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?" (Esther 4:14). She accepted, and the Bible testifies to the pivotal role God bestowed on her in preserving His chosen people.

We would do well to remember that God’s thoughts are not our thoughts nor are His ways our ways. Esther was willing and acted in obedience and from faith, "And if I perish, I perish" (Esther 4:15).

In the fourteenth century AD John Wycliffe was expelled from Oxford because he dared to expose the heresy and corruption in the church of his time. He later saw what God had in mind and declared with excitement, "I see it, oh I see it now," as he realized that he was to spend the remainder of his life translating the Bible into the English language so that everyone would have access to the word of God. Look what his step of faith led to.

"Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!" (Rom. 11:33)