With Whom We Have to Do

With Whom We Have to Do

“And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.” Heb. 4:13 [NASB].

Let us thank Almighty God, the God of all grace, that we have to do with Him and that we must give account to Him. May we always be mindful of this when we are alone, when we are among many, in days of sunshine and in trials of deepest night. Ways of the Lord #366. We have to do with Him; essentially, we have to do only with Him.

Let it ring loudly and clearly in our hearts; may it be like a constantly recurring refrain in our inner man: We have to do with Him! This means that we exercise ourselves consistently in the fear of God. When we feel we have been misunderstood and defamed or think we have been treated unjustly, let us remember we have to do only with God! Or, if we are praised and honored! Everything is naked and laid bare before the eyes of Him with whom we have to do. We know we are inclined to consider people’s perception of us. But let us not forget the inner voice. It is God with whom we have to do!

In the account of Jacob we read that when he was on his way from his father’s house, he had a dream that blessed him and motivated him. He called the place in which he had the dream Bethel, which means God’s house. Gen. 28. Many years later, on his return, he had another experience by the brook Jabbok, where he wrestled with God and was blessed. This experience did something to him. He called this place Peniel, which means “God’s face. Gen. 32. He became another person after this experience before God’s face, and among other things he received grace to bow seven times before his brother Esau; he bowed to him until he came to his brother. Yes, He, with whom we have to do gave Jacob such grace.

After this experience at Peniel, he certainly did not forget with whom he had to do.

The Lord said to Abraham, “I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless.” Gen. 17:1. We have to do with Almighty God! Can we live superficially and indifferently and carelessly before Him?

In one of our songs (Ways of the Lord #218) we sing, “Here before God’s face we stand.” May this be real to us whether we stand or walk, whether we are alone or together with others. Let us think of Jacob: the grace he received to humble himself! “Here before God’s face we stand!” That is where all God’s men and women have stood. They have both sat there and stood there. All of them have learned a lesson at their “Peniel,” which means “God’s face.”