God Doesn't Make Mistakes

“As for God, His way is perfect, the word of the Lord is flawless. He is s shield for all who take refuge in Him.” (Psalm 18:30 NIV).

This is a powerful verse, even on its own–it becomes mind-boggling when we realize the context! Remember David is praising the Lord for deliverance from a whole host of problems. Not your simple everyday problems, but problems that were so great as to be literally life-threatening. If this Psalm is written after his deliverance from Saul, remember he was on the run for some 12 years. It is in this context that David declares “As for God, His way is perfect . . . .”

Now I want you to think about that statement for a minute. This is not a comment by someone who has lived life in an ivory tower. Sometimes we read things like this in Scripture and think (either consciously or subconsciously) “Easy for him to say! He doesn’t know what I’m going through.” That’s right, but also realize that you have not experienced what David experienced. You and I have not lived life on the lam. Hiding in rugged caves and desolate areas. Pretending to be a mad-man so an enemy king wouldn’t take your life. Reputation ruined. A fugitive who, anyone found helping was summarily executed. David was pariah in Israel.

Yet, he says (Pearrell loose translation now), “God knows what He is doing; He doesn’t make mistakes.”

Do you believe that? Do you believe that in the difficult circumstances you perhaps now are in? It is easy to believe this marvelous truth when things are going our way–it is another thing to believe it–to really believe it–when everything around us is falling apart.

Perhaps the best Biblical example of this is Joseph. Joseph was sold into a cruel slavery by his own brothers. Still he honored God and worked hard. As a result, life became a little more bearable for him as he advanced in rank. Then, a lie took all that away. He ended up in chains in prision; chains that rubbed him raw (See Psalm 105:17-22). He could have become angry and bitter, instead he became better. Why? Because he believed that God’s way was perfect, even in his pain. As a result, he is elevated to the high rank of chief prisoner (that’s sarcasm for those who might have missed it). But it was from this lowly position (some 13 years now have passed in slavery and prison) that God elevates him to second in command in Egypt! Here’s the amazing thing: God had not lost control when Joseph was thrown into that pit by his brothers, He had not lost control when he was sold into slavery, He had not lost control when Mrs. Potiphar accused this innocent man of rape, He had not lost control when her furious and influential husband had him thrown into prison, He had not lost control while Joseph languished there, nor had he lost control when the kings Cupbearer forgot his promise to Joseph for two more years!

May I suggest humbly that God has not lost control over your dread circumstances now? You may not see what He is doing, but you can be sure of this, His ways are still perfect!

I like the way The Message puts these verses, “What a God! His road stretches straight and smooth. Every God-direction is road-tested. Everyone who runs toward him makes it.” Take heart!