The Unseen Universe-yes, that's the title of the chapter on the story of Job I'm reading today. The writer is none other than my favorite teacher Oswald Chambers.
As we all know by experience, how much the book of Job bring consolation when we go through great trouble and sadness. For long we have been bought into the belief that as long as we trust in God and live according to His ways, nothing could go wrong. If a person suffers, then there must be a good reason for it- either the person had done something wrong to bring down such a punishment or the person is somehow getting perfected by going through such suffering.
However, Job's story contradicts all such thinking. According to the Bible, Job was perfect in every way before suffering touched his life. God, Himself had given the highest rapport about him-" Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil." (Job 1:8) Job didn't do any harm to get punished nor he deserved to go through pain and suffering to get perfected. Yet, Job underwent severe physical suffering, mental agony, the death of sons and daughters and the loss of his property and herds. And God chose to keep out of sight during all this time.
It is easy for us to get mad at God when troubles come our way. Most of us who live in the western world somehow think that we are entitled to have a trouble free life. And that's why we begin to grumble, groan and complain no sooner any kind of pain or sorrow come our way. Even a sprinkle of rain and cloudy sky for a day or two in Southern California where I live could make people grumpy and mournful.
" The man who knows that there are problems and difficulties in life is not easily moved. Most of us get touchy with God and desert Him when He does not back up our creed." writes Chambers in this chapter. He further goes on to write," There are things in our heavenly Father's dealings with us which have no immediate explanation.There are inexplicable providence which test us to the limit, and prove that rationalism is a mere mental pose."
In the first chapter of the Book of Job, we come upon a scene where God and Satan make a challenge over Job's faithfulness. Job had no clue of what's going on up in heaven. Suddenly, without any warning or permission asked, he was pushed into an arena to encounter suffering after suffering. Being unable to watch him suffer in pain from head to foot, his wife asked him to give up on God and die cursing Him. His three friends on whom Job relied for support and comfort further added to his agony by their reasoning and judgement. Any other person would have turned his back on God, but not Job. Instead of cursing as his wife suggested, Job uttered amidst his pain," Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him." That is faith sounding its bells for Almighty to beam with pride and rejoice over His servant's faithfulness.
We have no clue why bad things happen to good people or how bad people get away unpunished? We are incapable of detecting what's happening in the unseen universe either. Like Job, if we could persevere the tough times in steadfast faith, we could also make our Maker beam with pride.***
Monday, September 16, 2013
Saturday, September 7, 2013
Getting ahead of God
" Beware of getting ahead of God by your very desire to do His will. We run ahead of Him in a thousand and one activities, becoming so burdened with people and problems that we don't worship God and fail to intercede." Oswald Chambers.
How very true and what a great warning this man of God gave to his hearers and readers in his days. Even today, his devotional, My Utmost for His Highest is considered to be a classic and read by believers all over the world.
I wonder what Chambers would have written today in our busyness driven, twitter ridden world. Who knows, he might have even given up writing completely so that he could be on his knees all day long to intercede for us, Christians, so that we could be brought back to our knees and spend quality time with God.
No doubt Chambers would have definitely chosen to do that, because he was someone who knew his priority in the right order. His words were direct, blunt and wholesome. How else, could a man after God's own heart, like Chambers translates what's burning in his heart other than telling it as it is. He could have tempered it down to please his audience, but his priority was to please the One, whose audience Chambered sought the most.
Today, seldom a Christian preacher or writer want to convey the message in the way Chamber did. No one wants to upset or offend their audience. People pleasing rather than God pleasing has become the style of this Christian era. Result- Celebrity status craving is creeping into whatever we venture in. Sadly, we have bought into the misconception that whatever we do are mostly for the benefit of God; in other words- for the glory of God.
It is here, we need to pause, take a step back and assess our doings. If we are running ahead of God to fulfill His plan in my life and for this world, I need to slap myself to waken me up and realize that I'm not God, but He is.
It is His story we are called to play a part. It is He, who decides how big or small our part is going to be. All what He expects from us-availability, obedience and commitment. In His hand a twig could gain an oak like strength and a mount-height oak could disappear without a trace.
So, let us minding our minute status before God, watch our steps and words in following Him, rather than running ahead of Him with our plans and projects for His glory.
How very true and what a great warning this man of God gave to his hearers and readers in his days. Even today, his devotional, My Utmost for His Highest is considered to be a classic and read by believers all over the world.
I wonder what Chambers would have written today in our busyness driven, twitter ridden world. Who knows, he might have even given up writing completely so that he could be on his knees all day long to intercede for us, Christians, so that we could be brought back to our knees and spend quality time with God.
No doubt Chambers would have definitely chosen to do that, because he was someone who knew his priority in the right order. His words were direct, blunt and wholesome. How else, could a man after God's own heart, like Chambers translates what's burning in his heart other than telling it as it is. He could have tempered it down to please his audience, but his priority was to please the One, whose audience Chambered sought the most.
Today, seldom a Christian preacher or writer want to convey the message in the way Chamber did. No one wants to upset or offend their audience. People pleasing rather than God pleasing has become the style of this Christian era. Result- Celebrity status craving is creeping into whatever we venture in. Sadly, we have bought into the misconception that whatever we do are mostly for the benefit of God; in other words- for the glory of God.
It is here, we need to pause, take a step back and assess our doings. If we are running ahead of God to fulfill His plan in my life and for this world, I need to slap myself to waken me up and realize that I'm not God, but He is.
It is His story we are called to play a part. It is He, who decides how big or small our part is going to be. All what He expects from us-availability, obedience and commitment. In His hand a twig could gain an oak like strength and a mount-height oak could disappear without a trace.
So, let us minding our minute status before God, watch our steps and words in following Him, rather than running ahead of Him with our plans and projects for His glory.
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