June 24, 2022

 

^{Start With Yourself}

 

² How long, Lord, must I call for help,
    but you do not listen?
Or cry out to you, “Violence!”
    but you do not save?
³ Why do you make me look at injustice?
    Why do you tolerate wrongdoing?
Destruction and violence are before me;
    there is strife, and conflict abounds.
⁴ Therefore the law is paralyzed,
    and justice never prevails.
The wicked hem in the righteous,
    so that justice is perverted.

– Habakkuk 1:2-4

 

It's a small book. A minor prophet named Habakkuk dared to question God. Much like we dare to question God today. The difference? Perhaps we aren’t as righteous as we proclaim.

 

We are quick to pick and choose the issues, the Biblical quotes, the direction of our prayers so that our wishes and our will prevail. Except God always prevails. Always. We forget that.

 

We condemn abortion but demand our right to own and use weapons of war. It is our right to kill who and what we please. It is also our right to demand that you follow our wishes in all things.

 

Perhaps that’s the root of it all. It’s about us. It’s never been about God. He’s only been our excuse, the way we justify the evil that lies within our own hearts.

 

“It’s just business,” is one excuse I’ve heard over and over from so many different people. It’s the way to justify ripping someone off even though it clearly violates God’s law.

 

Or we refuse to help our parents or grandparents unless there’s a payday involved. When did we stop honoring our families except when we are paid to do so? It’s only right, we tell ourselves. Have you checked with the Bible on that?

 

We harbor anger and bitterness in our hearts, lashing out at anyone who dares to disagree with us. We are impatient and unkind. And it is always someone else’s fault.

 

We are a Christian people good at pointing fingers at others who, in our opinion, need to clean up their act. We forget to get the plank out of our own eye before we search for the speck in the eye of someone else.

 

What’s wrong with our country today? Christians who live by their own greed, their own egos, their own comfort, ignoring the Word when it doesn’t fit into their neat little lives. We have turned out religion into our own little political agendas and we have the audacity to wonder where God is as our world seems increasingly out of control.

 

Beware to us all: God will judge each person. We all face the fire of our choices. Stop pointing fingers. Stop living a lie. Bow down and truly worship the Lord our God. Yeah. I know. Most of you won’t do that. It might mean loving people you’ve decided to hate. It could even mean giving up some of your ill-gotten wealth and giving it to those you’ve judged unworthy. You might have to get dirty and serve instead of barking orders at those you consider beneath you.

 

Here is my soapbox once again: If you want to see change, start with yourself.

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Go Ahead And Ask

Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands. Put your finger here and see my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!”

-- John 20:27

Poor Thomas. He does get a bad rap. All these years later and he’s still known as “doubting Thomas.” We don’t remember that he later preached the gospel fearlessly, traveling even as far as India. And we forget that Thomas died a martyr’s death as he continued to tell others about Jesus.

We remember his doubts even as we attempt to deny our own. It’s like questioning God about anything is somehow just wrong. We’re afraid to test our faith that way. We’re afraid of what we might hear. We tread carefully lest we rock the foundation we’ve come to depend on.

Why do we think God can’t take the tough questions? Do we think He’ll disown us if we dare to ask “Why?”. We can look again to the Bible for our answers. Thomas said he wouldn’t believe Jesus was alive “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side.” Jesus offered to let Thomas do just that. Pastor Meghan pointed out that Thomas never did. His words at seeing Jesus were, “My Lord and my God!” But he never needed to feel the scars.

Pastor Meghan also noted that Jesus never chastised Thomas for wanting proof that Jesus lived. He embraced Thomas’ questions and doubts, offering Himself as proof. So why do we think God would reject us if we questioned Him?

Asking questions -- especially the tough ones -- actually illustrates belief. You don’t question what you deny. You simply deny it. Questions reveal a hunger to know God on a much deeper level, Pastor Meghan pointed out. God wants us to know Him. Really know Him. So He welcomes our questions and, yes, our doubts.

So go ahead and ask God what you really want to know. Just remember to listen to what He has to say.