It seems to me that in the church we put far too much stock in ourselves. We depend on marketing campaigns and programs, new buildings and strategies, gifted speakers and musicians, sinless lives and perfect commitment to Bible study. Growing up in the church, I heard much about the evils of secular universities, how they attempted to question God and lead students away from the church. We also heard of “bad influences” who we should stay away from lest we be pulled astray.
To me, this is an extraordinarily silly picture. A helpless God in heaven who can’t seem to keep up with the world. If only God was more wise than humans we wouldn’t have to fear knowledge. If only the call of God was more powerful then that of friends and peers perhaps we could stand strong. Unfortunately, God is just sitting in heaven biting his finger nails hoping that we won’t leave him all alone.
The preceding paragraph is certainly not meant to be disrespectful to the Lord of heaven and earth. It is merely meant to illustrate the picture we often paint with our actions and thoughts.
As Christians, we say that we believe God to be “a solid rock” where we find refuge (Matthew 7:24, 2 Samuel 22:3), a “good shepherd” who watches after his sheep (John 10:11, Luke 15:1-7, Psalm 23:1-6), a “mighty warrior” who defends his people (Exodus 15:3, Isaiah 42:13), and the only one who saves us (Matthew 19:26, Ephesians 2:8-9). Despite all these huge claims about God, we often treat him as if he is a small child who needs our help.
“For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.”
- 2 Timothy 1:7
“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?...Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?... No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
- Romans 8:31, 35, 37-39
If we truly serve this God, the God who created the universe, then what can possibly overcome us? If we actually believe that it is God alone who saves us, then what can our programs, advertising campaigns, and multimillion dollar building projects possibly hope to accomplish? God does not need us. His existence is in no way tied to ours. Our stories are in no way essential to his.
God has chosen to use people. He has chosen to love us, and he has chosen to save us. God saves people who, in our human understanding are beyond saving, and we are shocked to see that those we think, in some way “deserve” God, or “should” be saved are perhaps the furthest from him of all.
This is in no way a call to apathy or spiritual laziness. In fact, when we realize that the power, wisdom and expanse of God is truly beyond human comprehension, and that this God is within us in the form of the Holy Spirit, I believe that our lives will explode with fruit.
“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”
- Galatians 5:16-24
Instead, this blog hopes to encourage faith and boldness in the God we claim to believe in. I would like to close with the words of the Psalmist found in Psalm 145
I will extol you, my God and King, and bless your name forever and ever. Every day I will bless you and praise your name forever and ever. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable. One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts. On the glorious splendor of your majesty, and on your wondrous works, I will meditate. They shall speak of the might of your awesome deeds, and I will declare your greatness. They shall pour forth the fame of your abundant goodness and shall sing aloud of your righteousness. The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. The Lord is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made. All your works shall give thanks to you, O Lord, and all your saints shall bless you! They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom and tell of your power, to make known to the children of man your mighty deeds, and the glorious splendor of your kingdom. Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures throughout all generations. [The Lord is faithful in all his words and kind in all his works.] The Lord upholds all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down.The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season. You open your hand; you satisfy the desire of every living thing. The Lord is righteous in all his ways and kind in all his works. The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desire of those who fear him; he also hears their cry and saves them. The Lord preserves all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy. My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord, and let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever.
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