Monday, September 2, 2013

Limiting God

As Christians we like to say, which the non-believers and scientists agree with, that 'in the beginning there was nothing.' That's not true. The Bible tells us that 'in the beginning was the Word. And the Word was with God and the Word was God.' The Bible also tells us that 'without the Word nothing was made.' The Word is Jesus, Himself. Jesus IS the living, breathing, Word of God, made flesh. So, in the beginning there was God and the Word. God spoke the Word and the universe was born. God spoke the Word and the land separated from the sea. God spoke the Word and the night separated from the day. God spoke the Word and the angels sparked into life. God spoke the Word and every creature, other than man, came into being. But God did not speak man into existence. Even from the very beginning, God's love for man was evident because He chose to mold man with His own hands and to breathe His very own breath into man to bring him to life. Then millennia later, He proved His love yet again by sending His very own Son, the Word, to earth to become flesh so that He could die and be resurrected so that man could be reconciled to God. What an amazing God who loves us in such an incredible way!

So why do we limit God? We stand in awe at His creation; gape in wonder at His majesty; proclaim with conviction His love, grace and mercy; then we back off when it comes to what He can do for our physical needs or healing. Despite hearing of the miraculous creation of a perfect heart in a man who was at death's door due to a bad heart, a young woman declared, "I believe, but I'm a realist." She just limited what God can do in her life with those words. She believes God can perform the miracle she needs in her physical body, but because she's a 'realist', she limits what she'll allow God to do as far as healing her is concerned.

Or we say that those kinds of healings and miracles were only for Biblical times; God doesn't do that anymore. Really? The same God who created the very universe in which we live just by speaking can't do those healings and miracles today? The same God who became flesh and walked among men, who raised Lazarus from the dead after 4 days, who suffered the beatings by the Roman soldiers, who wore the crown of thorns on His brow as He carried the weapon they chose to kill Him with up Calvary's hill, the One who was nailed to a tree and hung on that cross in agony; who died and was raised again on the 3rd day, that God can't do those kinds of miracles and healings today? Well, for those people, they're right: He can't! Because of their unbelief, He cannot do those wonders among them.

So why do we limit God? Why would we, those who say we believe, actually do and say things that would limit what God can do in our lives, to our lives and through our lives? Is it fear? Fear that He may not give us the healing we're asking for? Fear that He may give it to us and then we'll have to do something He's called us to do? Fear of being called names by those who don't believe because we're expressing faith and belief in the God of the universe? Fear that He will heal us and prove to us, once and for all, that He truly is who He says He is and can do what He says He can do?

I don't have the answers. But from Adam until now, mankind has limited God, which makes me truly wonder just what great and mighty things He would do and we would see if we truly, completely believed and allowed Him to move and do what He wants to.