Often times, the skeptic will come to us and say “Well, if God ordered the massacre (loaded terminology of course) of the Amalekites, then I just can’t worship a God like that.” The trouble with such a claim is that when we Christians mean God, we mean the only God that is and that there are no other options. If we are right and that is the way God is, then that is the way he is.
Furthermore, if you understand the concept of God, you understand that he must be supreme goodness. Even if you say “I don’t see how that is a good act” that does not mean you don’t accept it. You simply trust that God being all wise and God being able to work all things towards a right end and having all justice will be all good in his actions.
Now some of you who read me and know my tendency for debate are sitting there maybe thinking, “That’s right. Those skeptics need to hear it how it is!” Dear Christian though. My quarrel tonight is not with the skeptic. My quarrel is with you and lest you think I am simply pointing fingers, it is with me as well.
This occurred to me last night in my prayers. I really ponder sometimes that we know things and we don’t realize we know them. When we suddenly take two of our beliefs though and put them together we realize a truth that we should have acknowledged all along. I wonder what it would mean for many of us if we wrote out the greatest truths we believe and see how many of them work together. It might be interesting also to see how many don’t work together.
I have noted before that one of the things I thank God for is his constancy and how I can rest assured that when I come to him, that he is always the same. Consider that with worship though. If you worship God, it must be for who he is. He is not going to change so that you can worship a different God. You are to adapt to him. Not only will he not change his nature for you. He cannot do so! (Yes my friends. I affirm the immutability of God meaning there are some things he cannot do.)
Do you worship him as he is now? You might as well then! He’s not going to change! If you are to worship him now as he is, then why aren’t we? Now I’m not saying all worship is a deliberate time set aside for an experience called worship. My belief is more that while such time can be good, and indeed, this blogger should do it as well, that worship is not meant to be an event but is meant to be a life that is lived.
Do we have this awareness that the same God that was there when we went to bed last night is the same one that was there when we woke up this morning? Do we find ourselves capable of worshipping God when things are going well for us? Then we should keep in mind that he is the same God when things are not going well for us. I’m not saying don’t mourn or grieve or even bring your questions to God when you are suffering, but do so in the context of worship. I believe that for a grieving soul, even their grievances can be an act of worship.
Mainly though, we must realize this. God won’t change. What about us though? Are we growing to be more like Christ or are we not? It’s one of the two. Which one is it for you? He won’t change for you. Are you going to change for him?
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