“We live at the intersection of two realities, two theologies. The faithfulness of God is pursuing from the past — so far, so God. . . . Not only is the faithfulness of God pursuing us from the past, but the sovereignty of God is also setting us up for the future. . . . We live our lives forward, but God is working in our lives backward.”- Mark Batterson
“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”- Ephesians 2:10 (NIV)
As Mark Batterson moves on in Chapter 3 of A Million Little Miracles, he notes that when the children of Israel marched around Jericho, they counted up. God, in contrast, counted down. And prior to the seven days of marching around Jericho, God told Joshua that He had delivered Jericho into his hands.
Thus, the Lord spoke as if the walls had already tumbled down. No future tense verb here. Therefore, Mark stresses, don’t miss this: Everything is created twice.
While the first creation is internal, the second creation is external. In addition, the first creation happens in the spiritual realm. But the second creation happens in the physical realm. As a result, as the Israelites circled Jericho, they counted up — 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. In contrast, God counted down — 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.
In conclusion, Pastor Batterson explains:
“It’s God who predetermined those miracles. In other words, we don’t have to manufacture the miracle. Having said that, let me say this: If you want to walk on water, you have to get out of the boat. You have to step in the Jordan River if you want God to part it. You have to circle Jericho if you want the walls to come down. . . .
Human history is linear in one sense, but it’s circular in another. . . . The end of our exploring will be to arrive where we started out and know that place for the first time . . . unbroken fellowship with God.”
Today’s question: Do you agree that God’s working in our lives backward? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “Bigger than the whole kit and caboodle”