Deconstructing the Word of God-Trying to Change God's Mind

From the beginning of humankind's story with God (remember God has always been) and even before, we have been trying to change God's mind or heart about something.  There are many reasons why, but for the most part, it is because deep down, we don't really trust in a loving yet sovereign God.  A God who is both completely loving and kind, yet is moved to righteous anger and wrath.  One we celebrate when we are succeeding and winning, but we are cursing and fighting when we face a trial. We have trust issues and so very easily want to put God in a box.  Our box.  The box that we build.  The one that is only big enough for our human imagination.  The one that eventually, given time falls apart because it has flaws.  

The flaws?  God doesn't like our boxes.  

For one, the box will never be big enough.  God is eternal, He lives without walls.  He is everywhere at once.  He goes before us, stays with us, and is there long after we are gone.  

Second, He doesn't like our decor.  Our ways are not His ways.  Our style of "picking things out" is not His style.  He likes clean.  Humankind likes messy.  God's style is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow.  Our style changes with time. God likes to pick out the "best of stuff" for His children.  The kind of "furniture" that will last, because it is built with care.  We like the cheap and ugly stuff.  The stuff that looks good for a bit, but we throw away after it has been used.  We like to change the "pictures" and there meanings like a revolving door.  The "Family Rules" sign is written in chalk, so that when we don't like a "rule" we can erase it and make up a new one.  God's rules are written in permanent marker.  His rules stay the same.  God is satisfied with His creation.  He says so.  We are fearfully and wonderfully made in His image.  We are not satisfied however.  We always want more.  We like to change our style often.  

Third,  God can't breathe in our box.  How can He?  When we don't like what God has to say, or His plan or purpose, we shut the door and windows on Him.  We close Him up and board the door so that we can ignore His voice.  When things don't go our way, we want to put God in a time-out in the box until He changes His mind.  But.. boy does He like to breathe.  

Another reason we want to change God's mind is that we don't think God's got "it right."
When we face a trial, or come against suffering of any kind, we begin to question God.  "It can't really be this way God."  "Hey!  I know You didn't really mean it when You said, 'in this world you will have trouble.'  I mean, I am a good person, I go to church, I try my best.. yet, I lost my husband in a tragic way, my daughter has special needs, my uncle is losing his memory, people are coming against me at work..."  

Or.  How about Jonah?  He definitely did not like God's plan.  "Those people God?  Are You sure... those people?  You must not mean those people."  "You do?... Well, you must not be thinking it out right... I need to change your mind."  "I couldn't change Your mind?... I would rather die."

We want to "wrestle it out with God" in hopes that we will change His mind.  And when we see things not go in our direction, then we reason it out, that the Bible must not be completely true.  It doesn't have "our" ending.  It doesn't tie itself up in a neat bow the way we want it to.  

It doesn't matter, that today.. yes today... looks A LOT like things looked in Biblical times. The Ninevites' sin in Jonah's time was just as horrendous as things we see in modern day.  We just can't reason (like Jonah) way God would want to save them.  They were bad= they should "get it".  I am good= I should never suffer, or face adversity.  The Bible, therefore must be just stories.  

Sin.

Another reason we must deconstruct the Word.  I must change God's mind about what I want to do.  I want the apple.  

Even before our story begins, there was an angel who wanted the apple.  He was convinced that his ways were better than God's.  That he could write a better story.  That his mind and decisions were better.  

And now we do that.  Never mind what God's Word says.  We have to reason that God's Word doesn't really mean truth, because it does not allow me to do what I want.  If the Word of God says that something is wrong that I feel is right... I must tear down the Word and reconstruct it to fit my paradigm.  Again... "I need to change God's mind... He would NEVER mean those commands for me?!?"  I don't trust that God could change my heart.  And my heart MUST be right.  

And because I want the apple.  My ways are better that God's ways.  I must be smarter than God.  God must only know what is happening in the present, that is why He spoke to certain sins in the Bible.  He could not have meant those same things for me, because truly my ways are higher.  He didn't realize back when He was dealing with the Israelites, that He couldn't mean me when He said X or Y was a sin.  Certainly times have changed and God must change with the times, so He can realize that I really needed the "rule change" on my list.  

God must be dead.  Or at least dying.  Doesn't matter that I have, by myself shut the windows and doors in my box, to shut out God's breath.  Every time I read His Word, I have more questions. When I am in a group of others, we all read the Word together, but it speaks different things to each one of us.  How can this be?  When I am by myself, I read a passage and then, somehow two months later, I catch on to another layer.  A new meaning.  New questions.  So it must not make sense.  It must mean that it is not relevant.  It must mean that there is something flawed in it.  It must be dying.  I can't make sense out of why it doesn't make me feel the same as the others.  God is NOT whispering in MY ear something new, something better... He can't be speaking to different maturity levels and different situations and different backgrounds using the same Word.  I don't trust that God can be bigger than my box.  That He can purposely speak to different situations as He sees fit because God is dead.  

Truth.  God is not dead.  He is sovereign.  He likes to breathe.  He likes to reveal Himself in His timing.  He likes questions.  He likes justice.  He likes forgiveness.  He likes different maturity levels.  He likes His decisions.  He likes His ways.  He likes being the same yesterday, today and tomorrow.  He likes good decor.   He likes showing you new things.  He likes speaking to you in different way.  He likes revealing answers if you would ask.  He likes being a mystery.  He likes the place He has designed for you to live.  He likes you.

He likes living in your heart.  Not a box.

How can I be seriously crazy today?

Sing to the Lord a New Song ~  Psalm 149

149 

   Praise the Lord!
                                                     Be seriously crazy!

   Sing to the Lord a new song,                                     Have I sang a new song lately?
            

      his praise in the assembly of the godly!

2 Let Israel be glad in his Maker;                                    Have I been glad and rejoiced?

      let the children of Zion rejoice in their King!

3 Let them praise his name with dancing,                        Have I danced and made melody   

      making melody to him with tambourine and lyre!          with tambourine?

4 For the Lord takes pleasure in his people;
                      He takes PLEASURE in ME!

      he adorns the humble with salvation.

5 Let the godly exult in glory;
    

      let them sing for joy on their beds.                         Have I sang for joy on my bed?

6 Let the high praises of God be in their throats
               Do I have praises in my throat

      and two-edged swords in their hands,                      or have I picked up a two-edged

                                                           sword lately?

7 to execute vengeance on the nations
    

     and punishments on the peoples,

8 to bind their kings with chains
    

      and their nobles with fetters of iron,

9 to execute on them the judgment written!
    

      This is honor for all his godly ones.
                           This is HONOR!

   Praise the LORD!

How can I be seriously crazy for God today? 

*Start by getting in His Word.  You are rebel to do that…

*Sing to the LORD in new song.  Actually do what is in the Word..

*Be glad and rejoice.

*Dance and make melody with tambourine.  David did it!  He probably looked crazy!

*Believe He takes PLEASURE in YOU!!! 

*Sing for joy on your bed.

*Have praises in your throat and pick up a two edged-sword.

…This is HONOR…

Thoughts From a Pastor’s Wife

My defense comes from the Lord…

“But the Lord is my defense; and my God is the rock of my refuge.”         Psalm 94:22 (KJV)

Recently our church was given a couple of bad reviews on Facebook.  My husband and I were on sabbatical at the time.   So, what transpired was, many loving and well-meaning members writing to us.  In their protective care of the church, and us for that matter, was a reaction of ruffled feathers.  They wanted the reviews taken down.  It makes the church look bad.  Their requests to have the reviews removed aren’t necessarily wrong.  Nobody wants it in writing how bad people think the church they worship and serve at is.  But…. here’s the thing.  

“The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.”  Exodus 14:14 (ESV)

There comes a time when you just have to let God be your defender.  Yes, the reviews hurt.  Yes, the feelings described in the words hurt.  And yes, they are the result of decisions that were made before we left on sabbatical, that were weighed with care, love, wisdom and a great deal of prayer.  I could go on and on in my husband and the elder’s “defense”.  But God makes a much better defense than we ever could.  And frankly, at this point, it is HIS to make.  He knows our heart.  And guess what?  He knows their heart, too. 

And, it has been my experience that good always prevails.  Usually, when it comes to good vs. evil, even Hollywood gets it right.  The good guys may come out bloodied, beat up beyond recognition, and scarred, but they win in the end.  And, usually the result is… the wrong is noticed.  In our case, we have to trust that the good reviews outweigh the bad.  We have to understand that we can’t really stop someone’s voice, even if we take the review down.  And guess what?  The reviewer’s words will speak for themselves and reveal the person’s heart, along with their name and picture for “all the world to see.”   

“My shield is with God, who saves the upright in heart.” Psalm 7:10 (ESV)

The Unclean Woman

The Unclean Woman

One woman in the New Testament was Seriously Crazy....  She has not a name mentioned, but she has quite a story.  She is a woman who has dealt with an "infirmity" for twelve years.  A woman who has spent all her living on physicians.  A woman who by law is considered unclean.  And under that law she is not allowed to touch anyone lest they become unclean.  I imagine a woman who is very lonely. Who would risk being around her?  Could she be afraid that this "illness" would keep her from ever living in the community around her?  She has spent her money & her living on doctors & physicians who have no answers or ways to heal.  She is seemingly hopeless...  I know I can relate to a deep depression of fear that an illness takes on a life.... on a family.  She has the added fear of breaking a law that is important to her.

Yet, she does something crazy....

She leaves her home... unclean.  She walks out towards a man and does something almost unspeakable.  She touches His garment, thus by law making Him unclean, at least until evening.  She must have serious faith to make such a risk.  She knows something that others around her cannot see.  She is drawn in to her Saviour. She touches the fringe of His garment.  She does this even though there are so many pressing into Him, she risks touching many.  And He notices!  Jesus feels power has gone out of Him.  She had to believe that by just touching His cloak she would not draw attention to herself.  When Jesus stops and questions who may have touched Him, she sees she is no longer hidden and she must declare, trembling in front of the crowd why she had touched Him.  .... but she has great news!  Because of her serious faith and her crazy action she has been healed!  

Father God~ Make our hearts quicken to Your will for our life.  Help our faith.  Make us act according to faith and not fear.  Protect us.

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Leviticus 15:19
“When a woman has a discharge, and the discharge in her body is blood, she shall be in her menstrual impurity for seven days, and whoever touches her shall be unclean until the evening.


Leviticus 15:25
“If a woman has a discharge of blood for many days, not at the time of her menstrual impurity, or if she has a discharge beyond the time of her impurity, all the days of the discharge she shall continue in uncleanness. As in the days of her impurity, she shall be unclean.

Luke 8:42-48
As Jesus went, the people pressed around him. ⁴³ And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and though she had spent all her living on physicians,^[e] she could not be healed by anyone. ⁴⁴ She came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, and immediately her discharge of blood ceased. ⁴⁵ And Jesus said, “Who was it that touched me?” When all denied it, Peter^[f] said, “Master, the crowds surround you and are pressing in on you!” ⁴⁶ But Jesus said, “Someone touched me, for I perceive that power has gone out from me.” ⁴⁷ And when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before him declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed.⁴⁸ And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.”