Luke 22: 41 - 43 NKJV
I remember a funny bit from George Carlin back in the day as he talked about God. Now, George was never on one to pull too many punches when it came to the funny things in life, and this was no exception. On Gods will and prayer, Carlin quipped that God has a plan which has been working just fine for millions of years. Then, along comes some run down shmuck with a two dollar prayer book (us) to try to ruin all he's been trying to accomplish! Now, I think it's worth mentioning here that George Carlin was indeed a atheist and had no qualms in admitting this. However, he all too often had a way of putting our own interactions with God into perspective. Things like, how we can pray for all it is that we want but then get upset ot hurt when what we have been praying for does not appear. What happened to that whole "ask for whatever you wish" thing? Doesn't being a good christian instantly put our own wants and desires above everyone elses? So we march our butts into church every sunday so that we can pray for whatever it is we need. I get it. I used to be one of those same run down shmucks with many a two dollar prayer book in my collection. But wait, what about Gods desires? I mean, isn't He the one with the ultimate plan? We're just along for the ride here. Knowing this, why is it that we don't accept the negative of our Lords desires? Well, let me take a step back, why is it that we don't accept all which WE SEE as negative from our Lords desires? After all, it's all about us right? Well, if we can agree that God is indeed in control over all of our lives, then we have to accept that He absolutely knows what He is doing. That includes each and every war, pestulence, disease and deceased loved ones. Yes, I've heard it too many times, "how can a loving God allow such pain and suffering?" I've even asked this question a few times myself. What I've come to realize is pretty damn simple in my eyes...it has little to do with me but it has EVERYTHING to do with God!
Trillions and trillions of prayers every day asking and begging and pleading for favors. ‘Do this’ ‘Gimme that’ ‘I want a new car’ ‘I want a better job’. And most of this praying takes place on Sunday. And I say fine, pray for anything you want. Pray for anything. But…what about the divine plan? Remember that? The divine plan. Long time ago god made a divine plan. Gave it a lot of thought. Decided it was a good plan. Put it into practice. And for billion and billions of years the divine plan has been doing just fine. Now you come along and pray for something. Well, suppose the thing you want isn’t in god’s divine plan. What do you want him to do? Change his plan? Just for you? Doesn’t it seem a little arrogant? It’s a divine plan. What’s the use of being god if every run-down schmuck with a two dollar prayer book can come along and f@ck up your plan? And here’s something else, another problem you might have; suppose your prayers aren’t answered. What do you say? ‘Well it’s god’s will. God’s will be done.’ Fine, but if it gods will and he’s going to do whatever he wants to anyway; why the f@ck bother praying in the first place? Seems like a big waste of time to me. Couldn’t you just skip the praying part and get right to his will?
~George Carlin~
So, anyone ever feel like ol' George in their lives when it comes to God? Wanna know why? Because George Carlin, in his own way put this entire issue in terms of Gods perspective! That's right, all which we see going on around us we can see as Gods devine work. That means taking the good along with what we see as being negative. A friend once told me that we might not know God unless we see His opposite. Kind of like not knowing light unless we see the darkness. Seems logical. But what about our so called loving God allowing for all the pain in the world? Dude, have you ever read the story of the crucifiction of Christ? Jesus was put through the ringer...all so that you could have salvation. One mans suffering led to your future glory. Tell me again about how you've been mistreated. The difference between ourselves and Christ, of course, is that He WILLINGLY gave Himself up for us. Gods will in motion. I am not foolish enough to believe that He who loved me first would somehow not be attentive to my needs. However, there are those who believe that. So, how can a loving God allow such pain in the world? Simple...IT'S HIS WORLD! That does not change at all who He truly is. He is still the very definition of Love {1 John 4:8}. He is still the creator of all that we see. Nothing has changed. Well, nothing except our own belief on how God should run things. When we understand that it is all about God and not ourselves we will began to understand why He does what He does. Which is something my two dollar prayer book never told me.
20But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, “Why have you made me like this?” 21Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor?
Romans 9: 20 - 21 NKJV
~Scott~
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