[I]f this plan or this undertaking is of human origin, it will fail; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them..
Despite man-made directives to the contrary, the apostles are preaching and teaching in Jesus’ name. The authorities are fed up and had them jailed. But an angel freed them and directed them to the Temple to again proclaim the Good News. When the authorities went to fetch them from the prison, they found the prison empty and the apostles in the square again proclaiming. Once again, they were brought in for questioning, and the apostles continued their story of Good News, in the face of the clearly angry authorities. The leaders couldn’t believe the audacity of these apostles, and wanted to kill them.
But Gamaliel, a wise Pharisee, suggested they hold off. He reminded the authorities that several other movements had come and gone, under the leadership of men who had some following, but after a while, it fizzled out and the movement died out. He suggested that if these apostles were doing things of human origin, it would fail.
But in one of my favorite quips, he also said that if it is of God, the movement won’t be able to be overthrown. If it is of God….
I was offered this counsel by a wise colleague at a time when something was pretty unclear. The response he offered was that ‘if it is of God, it will work out’. That eased all of my concerns, as I absolutely knew that to be the Truth.
How much simpler my life would be if I could remember that, every day, with every trial. If it is of God, it will work out. Despite my best mortal attempts, sometimes things I work hard for don’t work out, and that makes me frustrated and angry and questioning. And how much easier to remember that if it is of God, it will work out. I am still called to do my best with my God-given gifts and talents. And sometimes what I imagine to be the right course isn’t. I’m again at a place where there are a lot of differing options and possibilities. I’m toying with different scenarios, and I definitely need to remember that if it is of God, it will work out.
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