OH, MY GOD

From My Perspective - - -

Religious and Non-Religious alike use this reference to God as a reaction or response to events in life. Hopefully, the religious-oriented would use it as a form of prayer rather than an as an empty or meaningless exclamation. In many and various situations, one will utter a reference about God. It may be in a moment of surprise, excitement, shock, catastrophe, disaster or as an expression at some unexpected event. Why has this become customary and a habit for most people? Most of those who use this expression probably don’t have a clue regarding why they use it. The most likely possibility is because of how one was created. In Ecclesiastes 3:10-11 (ESV), “I have seen the business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. He (God) has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, He (God) has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.” If only those who use the expression would do so because of a meaningful and purposeful relationship to and with the Lord God. 

If one’s religious life is merely a “lip-service” existence, a sense about God’s Will is foreign and not understood. Such a one may ask or ponder the thought: “Why did ‘God’, if there is a God, let this occur?” Rabbi Harold S. Kushner wrote a book on this subject: Why Do Bad Things Happen To Good People? Someone has reversed that title and suggested one should be asking: “Why Do Good Things Happen To Bad People?” One of the major considerations is whether or not one has a clear understanding of the reality of God and His control over all of His creation. For the one who is religiously committed, there is a grappling with the inconvenience of God’s will for one’s life. The problem is that most people prefer a personal sovereignty over both their life and all decisions pertaining to it. Such a one purposes to plan and dictate what he/she has determined will be God’s will for his/her life. They choose to go where they wish to go and do what they want to do regardless of whether or not that is God’s plan for his/her individual life. This is also true among the clergy and those who are stewards of God’s Word. It seems as though the days are long gone when a ministry commitment would be made to (1) Go Anywhere, at (2) Any Time to (3) Any Place, to do (4) Any Work, and at (5) Any Cost. The Word of God that has been embraced and proclaimed can so easily become short-circuited and inconvenient when it comes to personal choices and acceptance of the obvious turn of events. Some resort to human manipulation and determinations, rather than the acceptance of God’s plan and direction for one’s life and ministry.

Why is it that one can conveniently forget to apply and implement passages of God’s Word, such as, Jeremiah 29:11 (ESV), “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”? The Message paraphrase is Vs. 11-14(a): “I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out - plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. When you call on me, when you come and pray to me, I'll listen. When you come looking for me, you'll find me. I'll make sure you won't be disappointed." How unwise it is to abandon this provision of God for His people and turning to human manipulation to gain a personal result. It comes to mind why Epaphras would be noted for his concerns for the Church – Colossians 4:12 – “Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God.” The Message renders it: “Epaphras - What a trooper he has been! He's been tireless in his prayers for you, praying that you'll stand firm, mature and confident in everything God wants you to do.” Is there a valid reason why you would want to refuse God’s best for you? Is there any Biblical basis upon which you would insert YOUR will in the place of GOD’S Will for you?

One last thought in terms of God’s faithfulness to those who are unconditionally committed to Him and who trust Him implicitly in terms of His will and His timing for one’s life. In Psalm 37:23-26, “The steps of a man are established by the LORD, when he delights in his way; though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the LORD upholds his hand. I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread. He is ever lending generously, and his children become a blessing.” We should trust Him at all times without any hesitancy or fear. Oh, My God – How Great Thou Art.  Consider these things with me.