Strange Hand

Today, the Lord exposed me of my naturalness and oldness in handling things. Though negative it seemed, it was a life lesson for me to learn. To be in the Spirit and to do things in the spirit.

When the Lord's table meeting began today, I thought to add one more row for the sisters as I expected more would come. In the midst of the meeting, not caring for the Spirit's anointing, my natural goodness took over me and I arranged another full row when the remaining row was still not filled. Later, when the sisters started coming one by one, none went to the front row, rather they all took the last additional row. When I saw this I was convicted of my deed. Had I not arranged the additional row, they all would have had no choice but to fill in the existing first row first. Though this seems trivial, the lesson I learned was so profound. It was no longer a matter of good or better, but of the Spirit. I should not stretch my hand without the Lord's leading. Else it be just a strange hand.

Anything done, whether spiritual or good, does not really matter. But what matters most if the source of doing things. This for sure is in line with my Bible reading portion in 1 Chronicles 21:1 about David's last sin in numbering his people. The question was not in numbering. But the source that moved him to number. Verse one says, "And Satan stood up against Israel and moved David to number Israel." Numbering was not a sin, else there would be no book called, Numbers, the fourth book of the Bible in the Old Testament, nor will there be a counting of generations and genealogies in the Bible. 

Similar case in the New Testament, was my Bible reading portion too. The Lord's speaking is always timely and apt. Matthew 16:23, "But he turned and said to Peter, get Behind Me, Satan! You are stumbling block to Me, for you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of men." The matter is the source of our doing things. Anything that does not have the source in God Himself is of Satan. Be it good or religious or even spiritual, if the source is not God, it is evil. This is the Lord's graceful word of love to me. I must be one with the Lord in everything, and exercise to be so ever. Not caring too much for right or wrong, good or bad, godly or evil, but determining the source of all things, God or Satan. If any matters or things does not issue from God, I better be warned and step behind, until I am clear it is truly of the Lord, the source must be from God. Else, all things will be the work of a strange hand. 

Lord, may You be my source of all my work, in my personal life, family life, church life and work life. And save me from my "strange hand."