Friday, August 29, 2014
Making Peace With God
Gulp! Glug, glug, gasp! - the sounds of a person trying to breathe
under water. Not dissimilar to the
struggles of a person who is trying to live life their way instead of the way God
intended life to be lived; it is unnatural, uncomfortable and , ultimately,
fatal. Conversely, living life God’s way
is like breathing fresh, clean mountain air; it is invigorating and refreshing.
In short, anyone wanting true peace and a relationship with the real God must make their peace with God, rather than making a god who fits their peace.
Accepting life and
God on His terms is the wisest choice one can make. We have a handbook that tells us who God is,
what is right and wrong, and how things will be when history has run its
course. That handbook is the
time-proven, life-changing Word of God, which is dearly loved by those who make
their peace with God, and greatly hated by those who insist on making up their
own version of God and reality.
The God of
scripture is the sovereign King and a gentle Heavenly Father. Such a God does not fit the ideas many now
hold. So many philosophies and religions
either invent a god who doesn’t hold anyone accountable for their actions or a
god who is harsh and cruel. The God of Scripture is loving and actively
involved in the lives of believers and unbelievers. He is not a distant
uncaring observer who isn't concerned about one’s personal lifestyle or
behavior.
Honest believers
find out who God is and what God wants and then adjust their lives accordingly. When someone refuses to accept and worship a
God who operates differently than he or she prefers, they are really assuming
the place of God. Such re-inventing of God is not only idolatry, it is the
height of arrogance and ignorance.
Psalms
115:3-8 describes the re-inventing of God like this: "Our God is in the
heavens, and he does as he wishes. Their idols are merely things of silver and
gold, shaped by human hands. They have mouths but cannot speak, and
eyes but cannot see. They have ears but cannot hear, and noses but cannot
smell. They have hands but cannot feel, and feet but cannot walk, and
throats but cannot make a sound. And those who make idols are just like
them, as are all who trust in them."
Do
yourself a favor, instead of struggling to come up with an updated version of God
and life that you prefer, make your peace with the one true living God. You can’t imagine the load that is lifted
when you give your worries and sins over to the one who can actually do
something about them. It truly is a
“peace that passeth understanding” (Ephesians 4:7).
In short, anyone wanting true peace and a relationship with the real God must make their peace with God, rather than making a god who fits their peace.
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