But God

As I was reading my morning devotion, which was about troubles in life, it reminded me of the phrase from Macbeth, “double, double toil and trouble”. We have trouble on every hand these days, or so it seems and the line is catchy and certainly fitting for the current world condition.

This thought brings a “but God” point to mind. In 2nd Corinthians 4:8-9 we read, “We are experiencing all kinds of trouble, but we aren’t crushed. We are confused, but we aren’t depressed. We are harassed, but we aren’t abandoned. We are knocked down, but we aren’t knocked out.” (CEB) A few verses on in this same passage Paul tells us that these temporary minor problems are producing an eternal stockpile of glory for us beyond all comparison!

So, there is the but God! These words change everything! Although, those exact words don’t appear in our scripture selection today, the idea most assuredly does. There are many but God verses in the Bible and generally following those sweet words is a promise and a hope for His children. Once we were dead in sin, once we were separated from Him, once we were looking at Hell….BUT GOD!

Charles Spurgeon explains it like this, “To be snatched from the devouring fire, or saved from fierce disease, just when the turning point has come, and death appears imminent, these are also occasions for crying “Saved!” But to be rescued from sin and hell is a greater salvation still, and demands a louder joy. We will sing it in life and whisper it in death and chant it throughout eternity—saved by the Lord!

I had not thought of it before, but as I wrote this devotion I started to wonder about the first person of the Bible to have had a but God moment. In thinking about when one experiences such a moment…most often in trying times that require action from God on our behalf; I discovered that Noah witnessed the first ever but God. He was living in days as turbulent, chaotic and sinful as those we live in today.

Genesis 7 gives us the account of Noah and his family with the animals all entering into the ark and the flood that destroyed all other life on earth. Imagine being in that vessel, tossed about, hearing terrible sounds of the dying outside of the ark…what faith it must have taken to not wonder if God would indeed pull them through; then we read Genesis 8:1, “But God remembered Noah, all those alive and with him in the ark”.

Around 45 times these powerful words appear in the Bible. So take heart… remember that whatever your situation is today it can be changed. Romans 5:8 reminds us of this truth, “But God shows His love for us, because while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.” (CEB)

But God…..