Let's save ourselves some trouble

One sin caused a 3rd of the angels to rise up in rebellion, leading to a civil war that since spilled out of heaven and onto all of creation.

The same sin led God to disrupt the work of a tower constructed to reach into the very heavens, scattering the people into different nations and languages.

The same sin also led man to reject what God offered as good, and ushered in the greatest fall of all, the separation of creation from creator.

The desire to be of equal footing with God.

Satan desired to be above God. The people who built the tower of Babel strived to be seated on the same playing field as God. Adam and Eve both ate of the forbidden tree to be “like God knowing good and evil.”

Created trying to become the creator. God is God for a reason. How on earth or in heaven above could we be God, when we can’t even begin to comprehend him? And if somehow we could, “A comprehended God is no God at all.” Gerhard Tersteegen. I can comprehend how to make a peanut butter and honey sandwhich, but not even touch how God works.

Why do we as humans strive for that which we cannot be?

I believe its because as humans, we despise having something over us that we can’t control, something we can’t influence. We want control of our own destiny; to be the one to make the rules, decide how things go. Except none of us are perfect, no matter how hard we try, we cannot give out perfect justice. We can’t even provide food and clean water to the rest of our own world.

Although it goes against our human nature, we are better off trusting in God. Trusting in his justice, in his order of things. After all we didn’t set the earth in motion, or establish the various cycles found in nature.

Let’s let God be God and save ourselves the trouble of trying to be divine.

Might need a dog to answer this

The past three weeks I've been waking up most mornings and doing some daily devotional reading out of Crazy Love by Francis Chan. This is my second time going through the book, this time I'm reading tidbits and meditating on them.

Last night and this morning I've spent some time looking at how "God is all powerful." This is something I know yes, but Crazy Love took a different angle and asked this question, do we recognize his authority over us?

How often I question the way God works, how often I expect him to accomplish something in a different way. How often I ask why must my plans come to ruin?

He is God. He was not created for me, but I was created for him.

"For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him." Colossians 1:16

It's the difference between cat and dog theology as I call it (taken from a great book by Bob Sjogren). Are we a cat (believing God exists to serve us) or are we a dog (believing God exists for us to serve him)?

But even as I try to be a "dog Christian" and live a life that is all about God, I find myself in conflict with Matthew 7:9-12. Where does one draw the line with receiving for oneself and giving to the glory of his owner? I've essentially spent the past two years pondering this very question. I can't say that I've made any progress.

Maybe I should just get a dog, and spend my time observing how he goes about this.