But God Is Our Deliverer

by Jon Walker

But God untied the death ropes and raised him up. Death was no match for him. Acts 2:24 (MSG)

"Each time we face a "God, what's the plan here" moment, we can know that we're also nearing the "but God" moment, where we'll see our story unfolding for God's glory and for his good plans for us."

In moments of despair, confusion, or darkness, it’s only natural to wonder if God is paying attention. In honesty, sometimes you want to ask, “Hey, God is there any kind of plan here?” Or, “God, do you realize what’s about to happen—to me?”
That’s when we need to cling to a “but God” faith, where we believe things may look bad, but God is working it for good. “But God untied the death ropes and raised him up.”

Sometimes our deliverance comes immediately after the “but God;” sometimes it is years before we see the end of the sentence that God is writing with our lives.
But that doesn’t mean God has abandoned our story.

God uses the time before “but God” to develop in us a certainty in his sovereignty and grace.

We may be hard pressed on every side, but God keeps us from being crush; perplexed, but God lifts us from the pits of despair; persecuted, but God stands by our side; struck down, but God makes us indestructible by filling us with his incorruptible Spirit. (2 Corinthians 4)

Each time we face a “God, what’s the plan here” moment, we can know that we’re also nearing the “but God” moment, where we’ll see our story unfolding for God’s glory and for his good plans for us. (Jeremiah 29; Romans 8:28)

As we wait, Jesus changes us. We no longer see the need to know how we’ll be delivered. We come to know that, no matter how the story ends, it includes the phrase, “but God is our Deliverer.” (2 Samuel 22:2)