According to Webseter's Dictionary the word fact means "something that actually exists; reality; truth; a truth known by experience...". So let's explore a few facts for a moment.
Fact: There is no unrighteousness in God. (Psalm 92:15)
Fact: He has experienced all things. (Gospel-Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and Acts too)
Personal Fact: I put God in a box.
Personal Fact: God likes to break out of boxes
The reason behind those five facts in particular shows my sin and my lack of faith in God. God has created all things, He is the creator of the heavens and earth and birds of the air and things in the sea and man and woman. He made it all. He has no unrighteousness in Him. He has experienced all things in the purest way. He is, was, and will always be God. Even if we refuse to believe He is who He says He is.
Lately I have been reading Christian Atheist by Craig Groschell. Each chapter begins with "When you believe in God but ...". Yeah, it is not an easy read because it gives me the uneasy feeling of realizing the sin in my life. So often I choose other things over God not realizing that God was the one who put me here and gave me options. Those choices are like bricks and those bricks are building a path and that path pulls me further away from my dear sweet Lord. The very same Lord who came and died. The very same Lord who chose to live a humble life eager to share the Word to others. He has no unrighteousness in Him. In all He did He did it perfectly, sinlessly, holy. He created all things to glorify Himself. One day all things will sing praises to His name. "And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying 'To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever'" (Rev. 5:13). People in all three places will be singing God's praises at one time. How beautiful a sound?!
We were created to bring glory to our Father in Heaven. When we blatantly rebelled against Him He sent His Son to live and die a holy and righteous life/death so that we could have another chance. Through this Christ experienced all human things (God has always been perfect and holy, do not think that I am saying this is the first time God experienced human things. He is God, He created "human things"). Yet, through all of this I still put God in a box. My misunderstanding of who God really is disables me in a most inconvenient way and drives me toward a lack of faith. But, God always breaks through the tiny little compartmentalized boxes I am so often putting Him in. If I think my financial situation is too much for me, He breaks through. If I think problems with my friends are too much for me, He breaks through. If I think this, or if I think that ... God is always busting out of the poorly pieced together boxes I put Him in all the time. He shows me more of Himself in ways I would never even expect. The main problem with all of this is me. When I am focused on me instead of focusing on Christ it is easy to put God in a box because my view of God is way off. My ignorance of who God really is stems from a lack on my part to get to know God for who He is.
Just think about this for a minute. When you like someone or even just want to try and be their friend what do you do? You spend time with them, you try to get to know them, you ask them questions, etc. Why does our relationship with God look so much different than that? Getting to know the creator of the universe does not have to freak us out and make us shy away from it, rather, it should intrigue us and make us want it even more. Why don't we ask questions and start searching scripture to see what God says about Himself? Questions like "why was I created" or "why was the book of Numbers put in the Bible" (I am quite fond of some of the stories in Numbers, random ... I know) or even "what does it mean to be someone who follows after Christ"? All good questions to get us digging into God's word. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. ... And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, gory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth." John 1:1-2; 14. The word "Word" here is referring to Christ. Christ is the Word of God. He became flesh and lived among us. When we read scripture we are not only reading about Christ but we are reading Christ. How trippy is that? I thank God that I do not have to understand that 100%. But I do appreciate that God gave me something tangible, readable, and comprehensible. Scripture reminds me all the time that it is not about me. It is a reminder that my sole purpose is to know God and make Him known. It is a reminder of the question a sweet friend asks me "what are you doing with your life?" Granted when she asks me she is usually asking in a way that is "what are you doing" or "what are you up to. But when that question is asked it reverts me back to that purpose. Am I living out my purpose? God has given us all a common purpose but He has also given us other purposes as well. Some may be called to share the Gospel in Africa while some of us may be called to children's ministry at a local church. Where ever we are, God has called us to Himself for a specific purpose. He has given us all a gift or talent to be used to glorify Him with.
All of that in mind, are we living lives that show the cold hard facts that God is the creator of all, that He has no unrighteousness in Him, and that He has experienced all things? Do we live our lives as if we truly believe in God, that our choices affect others and either push them closer to or further away from God? What are you doing with your life?
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