What is with nearly all the Christians I hear talking about how God is always the one standing over them always wanting them to do things they don't want to do? I heard Malcolm Smith mention this in a sermon I listened to the other day. I always hear Him preached as the God who is always having us do the things we hate. It's as though they don't even like God. He is just the God who is always nagging at them about what they need to be doing.
I'm not saying He doesn't dare us to step out of our comfort zones or anything or to go against what the flesh desires. But they seem to view God's will as whatever we hate doing the most. The Scripture tells me exactly the opposite. It says that God's will is perfect and pleasing. The Scripture tells me I will go out with joy and be led forth in peace. Again, not that the Christian life is always up and happy. Of course not. But I don't think God's focus is what we can do for Him. He can do anything He wants done without our help. His focus is to have us delight in Him because He delights in us.
I really get irritated at people who seem to constantly gripe about how the Christian life pretty much sucks. They don't word it in that exact way, but from listening to them you can tell thats exactly what they're implying. The meaning of their Christian lives can be summed up as one obligation after another. I thought Jesus' yoke was easy and His burden light? The way they talk, they seem so exhausted in their Christian lives all the time.
How can we delight in a God who is "always out to get us". He's gonna getcha and make you do hard labor! Oi...Spare me.
2 comments:
Great post. I used to hear it taught that God needs us to preach the gospel in order for people to be saved. Well, this week I was reading that there is a mini-revival going on in Iran. Muslims are coming to Jesus as the result of having dreams and visions in which he invites them into his kingdom. It seems to be a common occurence.
The truth is he doesn't need us to do anything for him. He can do it all by himself. The truth is that we get to work together . . . Father and daughter or Father and son. The important word here is "together". Instead, religion has focused on the word "work". It's all able relationship. He wants sons and daughter, not slaves.
"But I don't think God's focus is what we can do for Him. He can do anything He wants done without our help. His focus is to have us delight in Him because He delights in us."
Love this. It reminds me of my post from yesterday.
If that's not His focus, where do we get off making it ours??
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