Day 2 The God Who Is, Not The God We Want Him To Be

I have read a lot of books in my days of ministry, but none of them has stirred and challenged my soul like Eugene Peterson’s book ‘Under the Unpredictable Plant.’  He follows the life of Jonah and his struggle to embrace God’s Nineveh assignment.  Let me share a paragraph that will challenge you.

“[As pastors] we assume that because people want more religion, they want more of the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.  We assume that when they gather in our congregations and ask us to lead them in prayer, that they want us to lead them before the throne of a Holy God. 

Nothing could be further from the truth. 

The people of our congregations are, in fact, out shopping for idols.  They enter our churches with the same mind-set in which they go to the shopping mall, to get something that will please them or satisfy an appetite or need.  The people who gather in our congregations want help through a difficult time; they want meaning and significance in their ventures.  They want God, in a way, but certainly not a ‘jealous God,’ not the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Mostly they want to be their own god and stay in control but have ancillary idol assistance for the hard parts, which the pastor can show them how to get.”

I know you are reading this out of context, so let me be clear. Dr. Peterson isn’t being critical of the Church. His statement is an indictment of the tendency we all have in our humanity to want God to reduce Himself to what we need Him to be and do for us. But He is not a spiritual genie who grants wishes. God’s character is unchanging, so by His nature He must be who He is, and He will accomplish His purpose in our lives, regardless of what we need from Him or prefer Him to be.

During this time of fasting and prayer, I must not fall into the same trap when laying my requests before a holy God. I must trust that He knows exactly what He is doing, regardless of what I prefer Him to do. I can have perfect confidence in Him.

Faith is not a game. We are living in a time where we best not act as if our needs are subject to a divine lottery approach, hoping we get lucky.  Instead, we must earnestly seek God’s providential hand and trust He will move and work with His purpose in mind, not ours; for our good and His glory. 

I’ll meet you at the Throne,

Pastor George