Tag: Will

Posted on

Advising God?

Reading Time: 3 minutes

“Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways! For who can know the Lord’s thoughts? Who knows enough to give him advice? And who has given him so much that he needs to pay it back? For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen.” ‭‭Romans‬ ‭11‬:‭33‬-‭36‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The Apostle Paul has laid down the long and intense history of how God chose and used Israel to be his own. The Jews were known as the people of God. He led them, blessed them, disciplined them and loved them. Paul makes the point very clear – God is not finished with them. Paul also segues into another fact, God’s intention all along was to bring salvation to the whole world through the Jewish people. This baffled the Jews and pleasantly surprised the Gentiles (non-Jew).

In this discussion, it becomes clear that God has plans and ways that are not just mysterious to us, they don’t make sense at all. I don’t know if you have ever thought about someone else’s decision processes as bad or wrong, but many times we think, “I would not do it that way!” In a puny, Pauline way, he writes, “who knows God’s thoughts?” Or, “who advices God?” Just the thought that God might OWE US for some plan or brilliant idea is ludicrous!

Paul makes this amazing, declarative statement that may bristle and bruise our own fierce human pride, “EVERYTHING that comes from God and exists from his power is intended for his glory!” It is all about God, it always has been, always will be. Just the fact that God has not only decided to create us and love us, to be in a relationship with him; but also, that he has included us, and wants us to engage in his plans is a mind-blowing, mercy-filled idea!

As humans, we can cry, whine, complain or threaten God, but it won’t change who he is or how he works among us. Contrarily, we can also laugh, celebrate and cooperate with him, which still won’t change God, but it will change us. Of course we make the mistake, thinking it IS about us, that we (or I) am the center of the universe, but that is far from the truth. I can understand that when I think about God’s love towards me, I can misunderstand and believe it is about me – but it’s not. It’s about God.

Here’s the real mystery, God designed humans to be fierce, independent, creative and even domineering! Sin has made us take those characteristics and push them to the extreme, making it all about us and keeping those qualities all to ourselves. However, when we submit to God’s grace and receive his forgiveness, it brings us back to his own character of grit, determination, inventive, interdependence and even powerful under his authority. Instead of consuming those traits unto ourselves, we use them to serve, love and protect those who are weak and struggling, those who don’t see God or know him. We become agents of grace to those who do not feel powerful or valued. Of course it’s a choice, God’s will, God’s way or our will, our way? One leads to life, the other death. For me, I’m just not qualified to advise God and for sure I’m not going to be shaking my little fist at him as I slip into the abyss, permanently separated from him! No, I plan to trust and obey – there just is no other way.

Prayer

Dad,
After reading Paul’s words and understanding his point (your truth), I just feel like I must be the most selfish person in the world. Even for one second to think that I know better about running my own life, someone else’s or (big laugh) the world itself. It is so important to keep the perspective of who you are and what you want to accomplish in this world. I choose to submit! I choose to bow and come under your authority and your grace. I bend my heart and knee before you! Your will, your way Oh God!

Posted on

What makes an enemy of God?

Reading Time: 3 minutes

“The Lord is a jealous God, filled with vengeance and rage. He takes revenge on all who oppose him and continues to rage against his enemies! The Lord is slow to get angry, but his power is great, and he never lets the guilty go unpunished. He displays his power in the whirlwind and the storm. The billowing clouds are the dust beneath his feet.” ‭‭Nahum‬ ‭1‬:‭2‬-‭3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

This little minor prophet book, Nahum, is about Nineveh. “This message concerning Nineveh came as a vision to Nahum, who lived in Elkosh.” Nineveh may not have attracted the same kind of attention as Sodom or Gomorrah, but it’s memorable because of another man (Jonah) that God called to go to the city and tell them to repent and be spared. Yep, Ol’ Jonah and his circuitous journey to warn the people of Nineveh of God’s impending judgment.

What was so evil about Nineveh? Why did the city show up on God’s radar as an enemy? The city was the first major empire and it was enormous and powerful. It’s walls stretched for miles and it had numerous gates with massive stone animal figures depicting its fierceness. Were they an enemy because they were powerful? Were they the enemy because they attacked Israel and caused massive loss? It really wasn’t about size or evil influence, it was likely because of the Assyrian reputation of excessive brutality and inhuman treatment of their enemies. There are records indicating their horrible torture of people, much of it wasn’t a show of force, but rather for pure entertainment. They were known to burn boys and girls alive and torture adults, tearing the skin from their bodies, pulling out fingernails and leaving them to die in the scorching sun! These are not Biblical references, they are historical ones. Plus, they city-vibe was filled with a “do whatever feels good” attitude. Sodomy, sexual perversions and pleasure were considered to be the perks of living in such a powerful city. The combination of all those became the reason they were enemies of God.

Nahum writes about God’s display of power over all creation using storms as an example. We know that there are plenty of ways that God can use nature’s fury to change the course of human history. Does that mean that God is responsible for all of nature’s outbursts? I don’t think so. There are many that believe that our own sin causes everything from mosquitoes to monsoons.

I do know this; God’s ways are perfect and meant to be for our own good. Plus the fact that God’s ways are just, right and true whether we believe or agree with them at all. Am I just crazy here or does it seem that God is MORE enraged with the way our “freedoms,” “choices,” or sin effects others rather than just offending His righteousness? I mean 3 out of 7 of the big 10 are dealing with God Himself! The 7 are about us and our relationships to others. Rest is for us. Honor is for our family. Murder, adultery, stealing, lying and wanton desire and comparison towards other stuff – these are all human interactions with each other! When allowing or promoting the seven means the complete breakdown of society, who in the world considers those freedoms or should have inherent legal rights to do them?

Nineveh wasn’t just judged for its arrogance, nor just its perversions, it was also judged for its unjust atrocities towards the innocent, the weak, the outlier. Sennacherib’s hubris advancement wasn’t just to build the greatest city in the world. It was to be a god among men. The one true God just wasn’t going to allow that story to continue.

Prayer

Dad,
It still blows my mind that there were (and are) men and women who have the cojones to take you on in a battle of wits and wills. And that for us who are just common sinners, Paul’s words echo in my head, “while we were yet sinners…” enemies of your ways, Christ died for us. Thank you.