Rediscovering God

My journey goes on and it is a learning process which takes a lot of time.  I wonder how many people have had to take this journey before.  It seems like when we think we have God somewhat figured out we find out that our preconceived ideas are not always correct.

Read Isaiah 55:8-9, “‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,’ says the Lord. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.’”

The footnotes in my Bible explain this verse better than I would and what it says is true, it says something like this: the people of God, the Israelites at the time, foolishly acted like they knew what God was thinking and what He was planning to do.  It is foolish to try to make God fit into our plans; what we need to do is fit into His plans.  

Think about this; how many times have you and I been guilty of this?  We can study and read God’s Word for years and years but something we don’t expect will happen and we will have no explanation for it and it may leave us scratching our heads in wonder and amazement or sometimes perplexed and sad, wondering why.  Sometimes we are joyful and praise the Lord then other times we can be angry and shake our fists at God, maybe not always literally but in our thinking.   

Did you ever think that if you were God you would do things a lot differently than He is doing them?  Like you would heal all the sick people in the world, or at least all your friends and family, or that you would do away with all evil and all wars and that you would make everyone good so that they would all love you and go to heaven, or that there would be peace in all the world.  I am sure I am not the only one that has ever thought of these things.  

Have you ever thought of what it would be like to be God, having an unconditional love for people and still allow them to go to hell?  We can think this way at times and have no idea of the complexity of the situation that we would face.  I think the best way to deal with this kind of thinking is to realize that God is sovereign and omniscient, knowing all things; nothing takes Him by surprise and He knows what is best for every person and every person will reap what they sow, whether good or bad, in the end or before that takes place.  God is a just God and He is loving and fair.

Read what it says Proverbs 14:12, “There is a way that seems right to a man,

But its end is the way of death.”

I don’t want to take this out of context but in many of our decisions and our choices we may think we are right but we may end up being wrong.  The same thing can happen with our religious experiences and our view of God.    

Read what Genesis 18:25 says, “Far be it from You to do such a thing as this, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be as the wicked; far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?”

The Judge of all the earth will always do right even when we don’t understand the end of the matter.  You may read some of the stories in the Old Testament and think that God is and was unfair, but look at the story of Nineveh, God could have destroyed it and been justified because of their wickedness but He showed His mercy by sending Jonah there to warn them of the impending judgment that was about to take place.  Then He forgave them when they repented and didn’t destroy them.  Who ended up angry about God’s decision?  Jonah, he wanted them all destroyed, it is a good thing he wasn’t calling the shots.  I think the best thing we can do is just let God be God and know that He will do the right thing, no matter what the situation or circumstance.  

The greatest story that was ever told was the redemption story when God came to earth as a man to save mankind from their sinful ways and desires and to set them free from the bondage of sin that they were in, which they could never have escaped on their own.  A man could not redeem man, only the God man could do that.  He had to be fully God to be sinless in order to set men free of sin and bondage, and fully man to experience the pain, suffering and trials that we experience and to experience all of it without sin and Jesus did just that, Praise the Lord!!  This is the good news and the greatest story ever told and as far as I am concerned it is the truth and multitudes of others will agree with me.

And not only these things, but He showed us how faithful, kind, merciful and loving He was.  Jesus suffered a horrible death for us, allowing himself to be beaten, whipped and spat upon, stripped naked, and He also allowed a crown of thorns to be jammed down on His head and nails driven into His hands and feet like a criminal but He never committed a crime, He was completely sinless but was crucified for us so that we could be set free and forgiven for our sins. Why wouldn’t anyone want to know a Savior like that personally?  If you are reading this and you would like to know Him in a personal way, repent of your sins, which means to turn from them and ask Him to be the Lord of your life and if you are truly sincere you will be a child of God!!  Don’t be in a big hurry, let Him fill You with His perfect peace, love and joy then go and share with others what you have done and start growing in your new found faith.  Something to think about!  I hope you have a super day and may the good Lord bless you and yours!!