the human mind...

Sometimes it is all too easy for so-called Christians to question the surpassing greatness of God. I find myself asking some of these questions frequently. Even to those who do not believe...those who remain in utter skepticism purely for the sake of trying to sound more "reasonable" than the Holy One.

Can any human being fully understand the omnipotence of our Savior? Of course not. We are created, not Creators (as much as we try to say we can manipulate the existence of life--i.e., cloning? stem cells to produce another life?)...we have limited minds. And though we are no longer conformed to the pattern of this world, hence a new creation, we are still stuck in these earthly bodies with a minimal understanding of our lives and the world around us.

It never ceases to amaze me though--the 'technology' if you will...the human brain is quite capable, if I dare be so honest, to invent, learn, manufacture, etc. Yet, no matter how hard we try, and though the world may be "at our fingertips"...we will never be able to fully know the ways of our Lord, until He so lovingly reveals Himself at the end of time.

I am currently reading The Jesus I Never Knew, by Philip Yancey. Sometimes I even find myself overwhelmed and confused--just at another man's words! But one question he raised, as do many other believers, is why did Jesus resist the Temptation in the desert? It may not seem like such a big deal--obviously enough, He would not be overcome by the schemes of the devil, thus restraining His almighty power to prove His ultimate love. Yancey puts it nicely:

"Although power can force obedience, only love can summon a response of love, which is the one thing God wants from us and the reason he creates us."

Back to this thing on love that I mentioned yesterday...though we can continually offer the question 'why did God let this happen?' ...if He put his hand in everything to stop the bad and evil in the world, that would totally against his desire us to FREELY love Him. Yes, we might be in awe at His power; but as Yancey reminds us, power can force obedience...and the God that I know, love, serve, and desire to lose my life to--has not forced me to obey Him, rather- out of love comes my willingness (or at times the lack thereof!) to obey!

Song for the day:

FRIEND OF GOD

Who am I that You are mindful of me
That you hear me when I call
Is it true that You are thinking of me
How you love me it's amazing

(Chorus)
I am a friend of God
I am a friend of God
I am a friend of God
He calls me friend

God Almighty, Lord of Glory
You have called me friend

He calls me friend
He calls me friend

...need I say more?? ;)

~meghann~