Wednesday, December 10, 2008

More Thoughts on the Character of God - Details/Righteous Anger/God's People

This morning, Bill continued reading to me from Exodus about plagues in Egypt. I commented on how the people of Israel obeyed God without question when Moses told the people of God's final plague. Bill felt that the people obeyed because they had seen God in action previously. I began having a flashback to our years in the Cayman Islands. Jonathan Bain was in my third grade class. I had taught Jonathan in second grade as well, so I was not a new teacher. Every time our scheduled changed due to an assembly or a special project, Jonathan would be at my desk wondering how we would manage to get our lessons done. He wanted all the answers in detail!! Finally, I told Jonathan to sit down and trust me to take very good care of the class! I looked up and said, "God, forgive me for needing to know all the details. I will trust you." Jonathan grew up and is a wonderful music teacher in Indiana. I bet he remembers me. Ha!

A week after arriving in Nairobi, Kenya, Bill and I decided to walk to a museum not far from our apartment. It was 2 p.m. and we were walking along a busy avenue. We saw a group of young men sitting on a wall enjoying each others company. We smiled, nodded and kept walking. One minute later we heard feet running behind us. Two of the young men that we had seen were facing us with strong sticks. Bill was bigger and taller and starting fighting one of them. However, I was the short weak victim. My attacker also had a knife and cut my fanny pack from my waiste with a single motion. When he ran, his friend followed while taking my money and my reading glasses. I wished that I had taken a weapon. If Bill had been in trouble, I would not have hesitated for a minute to use any weapon available. Having a nice talk with these fellows never went through my mind. I think that God uses His weapons when His enemies attempt to destroy His people or thwart His plans. God gets angry and is not a wimp. He is to be loved and respected. The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. It doesn't really matter ultimately what you or I think. We are only human and should remember such. I would NEVER want to make the mistake of telling God that He doesn't exist, or what He should do. I guess that's why the Bible says that we must come to Him as a little child - full of humility and faith.

Who are God's chosen people? Isreal was chosen in the beginning to bring about God's plan for salvation. God already had a plan set in motion with Abraham. I'm amazed that the birth of Jesus was foretold in the Old Testament. It was so acurate! Isaiah and Micah got it right! Wow! God was not going to let anyone get in the way of His plan to save mankind. He loved us that much! After the death of Jesus as a sacrifice for our sins, God made it very clear that Jews and Gentiles alike were accepted as God's people. Now, God will protect Israel because He promised that Jesus will return to Jerusalem. Israel will see more war, but they will not be destroyed.

The Bible says that every person will be judged according to their knowledge. I don't believe that God will judge all men the same. I do know that God has put it into the heart of everyone to seek God and worship. There is not a nation on earth that has not attempted to know God. Religion is just a bunch of rules with condemnation. God represents forgiveness and salvation and wants to have a relationship with us. Unfortunately, fake Christians are all around us. The Bible Belt is full of them!!!