Psalm 90:12
Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.
We humans are an inquisitive bunch, aren't we?
We want to take things apart to understand how they work.
We shoot rockets into deep space to find out what's out there.
We tinker and tamper with the human body to understand how to fix it.
And we have a tendency to want to know the "Why" of God's ways and intentions.
I found myself reading Ken Blue's book Authority to Heal yesterday, when I came across a comment that just floored me. I'd never considered it before, and when I read it, it was like the truth of the Isaiah 55:9 verse just hit me between the eyes.
Ken wrote: "The real question is not 'why does God allow suffering', it is why does God show mercy to us." I have been asked more times than I care to count, why does God allow evil....why does God allow suffering.....why do good things happen to bad people, and bad things to good people. And you know what? I don't have the answer to those questions. In fact, I am going to go as far as putting them under the category of "Maybe we aren't suppose to know or understand." Maybe it's all a part of the Isaiah 55:9 passage. God's thoughts are nothing like ours. His reasoning comes from a place that is outside our time and space. His ways are far beyond anything we could ever imagine. Maybe the whole "Why does God do what He does" thing, should fall under the category of trust.
We want life to be like a 30-minute sitcom.
We want lots of laughs....
A little adventure....
And everything be wrapped up on a nice neat package before the show goes off.
Unfortunately life doesn't work like that.
Maybe our call on this side of heaven is to simply truth God in everything, and have faith that He truly is who He claims to be, and will do what He has promised to do.
Oh, now don't get me wrong, I am among those who want in on the inner circle and workings of God. I am Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz. I want to go behind the curtain and see how the Wizard does his tricks. I am that one person who really wants to talk with the magician, one on one, so he can tell me how he does his tricks. Well, God is neither Oz nor a magician. He is God.
Somehow we think that if we knew why God did what He did, we could live our lives in peace. Not! We'd find something else to bicker about. Some other theological point to start an argument over. After all, if King David saw himself as a sheep (Psalm 23) and God as the shepherd, I need to rest in that simple fact.
I think I love the knowledge that my God is a merciful God, no matter what I may be going through. Maybe I need to latch on to the understanding what no matter how bad life may be beating on me, God's mercy is keeping it from doing its worse. I know such statements ring hollow when a loved one has cancer, and the prognosis is not good. We feel like God's mercy has deserted us. But has it? Has God really withheld His mercy? No. Feelings are not a good gauge to measure truth. There are times during the day that I don't feel saved. There are times when I feel that God doesn't hear my prayer, or that He won't forgive me. Are those things true? Of course not. It is my feelings.
The simple definition of Mercy is "God giving me something I don't deserve.....God holding back something I do deserve." What is it I don't deserve? Oh, the list would stretch forever, but the number one thing I can think of is my salvation. He offered that to me even though I was a grade-A...number #1 Stinker who went against Him. He loved me in spite of my attitude and behavior. What is it that He hold back from me that I do deserve? Hell....need I write any more.
I may not always be aware of God's mercy, but it surrounds me twenty four hours a day, seven days a week, three hundred and sixty five days a years. God's mercy...I'll take it.
As to all those questions that we humans seem to want to know....
I will let them lie in the "Faith" bin on God's desk.
I will let my faith grow in the understanding that I don't need to know such mysteries.
Thanks for letting me ramble.
God on you....
mbb
No comments:
Post a Comment