"Oh God, please give me an opportunity to talk to Joe!"
And then, God does.
"Now God, should I ask Joe Saturday night when we're out having drinks to come to church with me OR should I ask Joe when I see him at work this week about it? Which one is your will? Send me a sign!"
And then, God doesn't send a "sign," or so I thought He didn't.
"Oh God, why didn't you send me a sign as to which decision to make! Now the opportunity is lost!"
And then God shakes His head, throws down a little more grace and I feel dumb, yet again.
Lately, I've thought a lot about God's will for our lives, and I think I've come to understand that this whole Americanized/Rick Warren surge of "your purpose-driven life" thing (though not bad, it's certainly not free from any criticism) is just not totally biblical. Sure God cares about everyone of us--individual and all--but can I be so bold as to say that God really doesn't give a rip about whether or not we should take the job A promotion as opposed to the job B promotion? It's like we say that we want to jump on board and "be in God's will," (which sounds good and all) but in reality, it usually is just another means of delaying decision-making and prolonging the call to true discipleship. Sometimes I feel like God is looking down at me and saying, "Make a decision! The gospel train is going and you can either jump on and go where I'm going or stay put in the safety of your own normal, comfortable, living space!" It's a macro-thing and we Americans keep trying to make it a micro-thing. How sad we are.
I don't think it's really possible for us to escape God's will though. All throughout the Bible it seemed like God's will was being done when people were at their very best and when people were at their very worst and when people weren't even believers in God to begin with. God's will was being carried out when Paul, the worst of sinners, was chosen to be God's apostle and it was being carried out when Deborah, the judge who prophesized that Jael (a woman) and not Barak (a man) would be the one to receive God's glory (and yet, Jael didn't even profess to know God)!
So despite ourselves and how hard we may try, we can't turn a macro-gospel into a micro-one. It just doesn't work.
Thank the Lord. Good day.
5 comments:
The thing is, I've prayed for God to guide me in my day-to-day life. And so He often does. And often I disobey, just like I do with His 'macro' commands. And then my life sucks. And when I obey, things are cool.
It's hard, sometimes, to tell when He is speaking. I've thought sometimes that I wish God didn't speak with me, so that I wouldn't disobey Him, but that seems like a cop-out. God was pleased when Israel asked Moses to intercede for them at Mount Sinai, rather than hear God's voice. But God was displeased when Israel asked to be led by a king, rather than God. I can see both motives - fear, and selfsufficiency - in my desire to avoid God's call.
My daughter Chrystol Rose died of GBM (Brain cancer) I was with her at birth and at her passing. Upon cleaning her apartment and placing things in a box I grabbed a pen to make a list of the iems there in a dim lite closet. As I tried to write I said "Oh darn I can't see what I am writing" The pen lite up with a bright yellow light and I could see. The pen unknown to me was one of the pens that light up but the fact that it lite up at the same time i said "OH DARN I CAN"T SEE, was a sign and a miracle from my child. See light is a miracle in it's self and the fact that the pen lite up told me that she was there helping me through a difficult time.
I have taken a photograph that shows an image of a man who appears to be hanging upon a cross. he is formed by a tree bathed in sunlight and some shadow. The Image was a natural formation on a one day period. The image has never formed agsin. The Image was a answer to my question of "Do we just die and be placed under the ground to lay in a grave or do we realy go some where? I would like to send you a copy of the photograph and let you see for yourself as to a Image of a man who seems to be standing in a place where even the shadow was light. You have to have this, copy and share it because it will strengthen your faith and simply dazzle your mind as to how it was formed. I will enclose two photographs, one with the Image circled and one with out so you may see it for yourself. This will all be done at the local drug store for copies at 44 cents each and a envelope and stamp at the cost of 47 cents, and a handwritten story behind the photograph. I am asking for $2.00 because of time and trips to post office, as have presently sent many letters and what is left is to go to my St. jude Childreens hospital fund each month. I presently give to them. I am here to help all who have lost a loved one, as I have lost two childreen to brain cancer. The Check should be written out to The Chrystol Rose Fund. The profits go to her son and St. Jude 50/50. I feel the photograph of a spirit of a man known world wide will help you. Send $2.00 to Chrystol Rose Fund/ Shirley Junginger
260 Christiana Road F-21, New Castle, Delaware 19720 1-2 weeks for photograph.
I asked for a sign the other day because I was having a hard time and if my son with down syndrome was happy with his new family and if I made the right decision. It came on an apple.
I got into trouble ( no detail) but I keep finding crosses everywhere I go. Judge it for your self IM pretty sure it's a sign.
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