God’s A Copout
In sports, we want our athletes to play their hearts our and leave all that they have out on the field or court. We want them to play for the love of the game and not the paycheck or for the name on the back. And in our favorite films, w want our favorite actors or actresses to give a performance of a lifetime, every time. We tell our kids, as they hope out of the car, heading into school, give your best. But when God reaches out to me to me, so that I may live a life of uber-abundance, I remind Him that I got this…
When I sit here and mull over my days and weeks, I realize I have started using God as a copout, instead of the truth. Yeah, God’s gonna heal Liz. Sure thank, the Lord will bless His children. Keep talking to God, He’s gonna see us through. All that, and so much more, is fine to say, but it has to come with reverence and a sense of worship. I might as well be using His name in vain. We can’t be satisfied with God merely being the answer. He is the truth. He is much greater than the answer to one question or one problem. If I believe He has the ability to heal and to hear and to help as the Bible says He does, then let that be enough. That is the truth of who the Almighty, the Great I Am, is. In fact, such a change in living, stops begging for answers to our questions, but rather, gives us a desire to know more truth.
But, once we get passed ourselves and we have moved beyond using God as some sort of concierge service, we can then walk where He leads. He is able to reveal in us and through us who He is. He is not looking to be buddy-buddy with us. “Is” defines Him. He IS love. He IS hope. And yes, He IS healing. My faith lies within who HE IS! Not what He might do for me or my family or friends.
Tonight, I went up to see Liz on her twenty-second night in the hospital. At one point, as we are watching one of our favorite television shows, my I am sitting in the chair next to her bed with my feet propped up at the end of the bed and I look over at here and just wondered to myself, “What are we doing?” “What are we still doing here?” Today, someone from the food-service area asked Liz is she was ever going home.
Tonight…Liz needs your prayers. This is not copout time. This is not time to let God know about a woman He may have heard about from others. God is bigger than an answer to a submission of prayer. He’s not just a name on a key-chain or written within the title of a devotional book. He is alive and needs to be treated as such. We talk to God as if He is at the other end of a poor connection on Skype. People want to question His existence and try and resolve His sense of “Godness” through logical formulas and tangible evidence. But for what purpose? To minimize our need so that we can psyche ourselves into believing that we are who we are…a bunch of struggling beings hardly giving each other the time of day. To reduce God to the answer for a struggle or problem is making Him into a pill, a bottle, another meaningless relationship.
We do so many people cry when given the chance? Why do we go visit the elderly? Why are we so excited when a newborn baby arrives? Because we love to be loved. And we love to love. Why would the One who gave love a name, be any different? Tonight, I am frustrated with myself for using God as an alarm clock. Its not about giving God praise on the 8′s. He’s not a routine. But I have been guilty of turning Him into a habit.
Life is full right now. Liz isn’t doing the greatest right now. Her left arm has been bothering her for days. Strike that; its been hurting significantly for days. Doctors even told her today that she should get used to it because until they do more surgeries, she will be hurting. Her blood is getting thicker instead of thinner, despite being on blood thinners. As of right now, it may be two or three days before she is released from the hospital. But even then, for how long until she is hurting too bad that she has to return or until the next scheduled surgery.
The kids are fine. They sense the stress and continue to be flexible for dad as I am trying to work and make sure they are cared for. A huge thank you to friends and family that care for them and do so much. It enables me to take care of everything else.
Job is going well. Working a lot of hours. But not complaining. Thank for this job.
As a side note: I am asking for prayer for our church’s men’s retreat I will be attending this weekend. It is all about being a leader. What it means to be a Godly-leader in our home and wherever God may lead. Over 80 men will be there. I pray that I will come back refreshed, renewed, and focused leading my family through this life instead of allowing myself to be lead by the circumstances in life. Pray for myself and a buddy of mine Tim as we lead team orange; that we may get the opportunity to help them become the leaders God had planned on them becoming.
Some heavy stuff is lingering right now. They will hopefully be resolved within the next week or two. All adds to the stress. Decisions will be made without consulting God as some sort of quick fix and moving on. He is God. Its time He hears from me on bended knee. I don’t want to be the general public. I don’t want to worship a DIY, hands-off God. I want to let go of all this spinning. I want to stop thinking I have to be in control. Its hurtful to myself and others.
Tomorrow morning, I will walk my kids to school. And as I walk back alone…it will be time to shut-up and listen. His love is unconditional…but does call for action. Truth.
