June 25th, 2013

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Offended#2

Tuesday, June 25th, 2013

To get the background of this post, go here and here.

One of the big things about celebrating Christmas is the expectation of what Christmas morning might bring.  (Seems strange to be talking about Christmas when it is June and 80+ degrees).  🙂  Anyway…this is post #2 on being offended by Jesus based on his “forgotten beatitude” in Matthew 11:6.

#2- HE DOESN’T MEET OUR EXPECTATIONS

If I have heard it once I have heard it a thousand times: “The Lord works in mysterious ways.”  Now…while I know that is true- at least to my human eye-that really doesn’t make me feel all that much better.  There is no doubt God works in ways I do not understand.  I was having lunch with someone today (Tuesday) and we were talking about choices we make.  He has a son about to enter college and I asked him if he and his wife would be upset if their son took a year off to work and to make sure he knows what he wants to do.  To further “complicate things” I said, “Like working at (_______________), which would close to what he wants to do.”  He said, “No.”  Then I made the comment, “I sometimes wonder where I would be or what I would have done if I had stayed out a year.”  ‘Course the real biggie is the possibility of not meeting my wife and not having the two finest daughters a man could have. (No, I’m not prejudiced).  🙂

One thing I do know for sure: I hate to think where I would be if it had not been for people making sure I came to know Jesus.   I have this sneaking suspicion my life would be a whole lot different.

The point is this: often times the God we expect to meet is not the God we meet.  Does that make sense?  I can remember during the time I was a teenager (late 60s), one of the most popular things to say was, “Come to Jesus and everything will turn out right.”  Say what?  That is simply not true.  Just look at the unanswered prayers for healing, or a job, or a mate, or a (fill in the blank).   I’m going to let Frank speak:

If you’ve not yet met the God who refuses to meet all your expectations, you will.  And how you react in that day will reveal whether you are worshipping Jesus Christ or Santa Claus.  It will show whether or not you love God more than His promises (or your interpretation of those promises). (p.117)

I certainly can’t argue with that.  I’m not suggesting that we “dumb down” God and make Him ineffective.  I believe we have to realize God is not a performing animal who will jump through our hoops for a treat (us serving Him).

Has God met your expectations?  How have you been surprised by Him?