Selfless
Yesterday (July 28) the sermon took a turn into inconclusive territory: trying to grasp the full character of God. I say inconclusive because we are so limited in our perspective and are so quick to judge the whole being of God based on limited evidence.
Here’s the crux of the issue we looked at: The images and examples of the behavior of God present in the Old Testament do not appear to jive with the loving, tolerant, and deeply forgiving displays of Jesus in the New Testament. This is typically in the top 5 attacks on Christianity as a whole by atheists or attackers. I mean, if we look at it through that keyhole, God does look quite mean in the Old Testament.
I’m asking you now to take a step back from that keyhole – stretch your legs, ease the tension in your neck and try and grasp something far bigger and greater than a perspective based on circumstance. God is selfless. Completely, utterly selfless.
Every act of wrath that raises our ire is balanced by a greater act of mercy and selflessness. Based on the character of Israel alone (the people AND the guy), I’m not sure any one BUT God would be able to remain as patient and loving as He is.
Doubt? God is patient. Outright rebellion? God is patient. Again and again God proves His love by being slow to anger. Yes He gets angry – but we cannot… I repeat: WE CANNOT judge every moment and story through that keyhole view. God is supremely kind and loving. He spreads mercy and grace and provision much further than wrath and justice.
Which of these is easier to remember though? Naturally the scary stuff. Snakes? Plagues? Stonings? Pillars of Salt? Cities destroyed? Yep – those are easy.
What hope does 40 years of food, rot-resistant clothing, shoes that never wore out, water from rocks (not rivers), and guidance in the wilderness have in view of such calamity and opportunity for whining? Discipline looks like everything when we’re the ones being disciplined.
What hope does Jeremiah 29:11 have in light of Jeremiah 29:10?
Not much if we continue to keep such a limited view of God. We must stop judging God’s character based on earthly circumstance.
Hebrews 12: 5 – 11 5 And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as his children? He said, “My child, don’t make light of the Lord’s discipline,
and don’t give up when he corrects you.
6 For the Lord disciplines those he loves,
and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.”
7 As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father? 8 If God doesn’t discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children at all. 9 Since we respected our earthly fathers who disciplined us, shouldn’t we submit even more to the discipline of the Father of our spirits, and live forever?
10 For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God’s discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in his holiness. 11 No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way