No one is good—except God alone.
Summary: Being the center of the universe is great if you actually are the Center of the Universe. If you are not but you think you are, then you are simply fooling yourself.
I had an interesting conversation the other day with someone I am just getting to know. They described a tragic family loss they had experienced as a young child and then asked, “How could a loving God let that happen?” After thinking about it, my response was, “What do you think a ‘loving God’ would do?” The same logic applies to conversations about the Old Testament. How could a ‘loving God’ tell Israel to wipe out all the people living in Canaan?
How indeed?
One of the most difficult things for a human to let go of is the belief that our opinions matter. In the grand scheme of things, they don’t.
My wife and I were driving one day and taking an exit off the freeway when the car two cars ahead seemed to explode before our eyes. We slowed, pulled over, and stopped, and I went to see if I could help. Fortunately, the people in the car were unhurt. They were dazed and in shock, but no blood or broken bones. The car looked like it had been put through a giant food processor.
It doesn’t matter that we think bad things shouldn’t happen to us. When the laws of physics take over, physical matter is going to rule the day. The car had hit the corner of a truck parked in the median. The impact was the initial “explosion” we saw as car parts flew in all directions. The rest of the collision was just a matter of following the laws of physics. As the left front corner of the car decelerated, the right rear corner continued forward, causing the car to spin wildly. Eventually, friction and gravity brought the car to rest and well-engineered safety equipment saved the people in the car from harm.
God made other laws besides the laws of physics. One of those laws is that his Creation is required to recognize that they are created and their Creator is God. (See Exodus 20: 1-7 and Matthew 22: 34-40) Similar to the laws of physics, we can ignore the other laws of God but we can’t change them. It doesn’t matter that we don’t like the laws or want to conform to them.
When the car my wife and I were following collided with the parked truck, I’m sure that the driver was thinking something like, “This can’t be happening!” (They might have used different words…) In their opinion, hitting the corner of the parked truck shouldn’t have been that big of a deal.
In the parable of the wedding banquet (Matthew 22: 1-14), Jesus tells the story of a man who came to the wedding of the king’s son without putting on his wedding clothes. Perhaps he thought that he shouldn’t have to bother. Maybe he forgot? To him, it wasn’t important, but to the king, it was.
“Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’” (Matthew 22:13)
Who was right? The king, or the man without the wedding clothes? In the parable, it is the king who gets to decide what is good and what isn’t. Is that fair?
This is a hard thing for us to accept, but until we get over ourselves, we are doomed to be blind to the truth of God’s goodness and the consequences of ignoring him.
Application: Recognize that God is God and we are not.
Food for Thought: Two questions: (1) Do you think this approach to the supremacy of God sounds cold-hearted? Why or why not? (2) How would you answer the question, “What would a loving God do differently than what we see in the world today?”
I liked your illustration of the car that got into a collision and the resulting events that took place.
There are things out of our control and I think we can trust a God who entered into our pain and did something about.
A loving God gave us a choice and we chose sin. (Genesis 3). When we did pain and death was the result and we are still paying the bill. A hateful or apathetic God would not do anything about the problem. Our God paid a huge price to pay the price for our sin and provide an eternity with Him. This means He is a loving God.
I think we struggle more with His holiness and justice that says a price must be paid. We don’t tend to like that – so we may scoff at the amazing truth that Jesus went to the cross for us. But He did go to the cross for us. And if we meditate on that truth it is mind boggling and shouts of God’s love.
Brother Rich,
Well said! Yes, God didn’t give up on his Creation even when the Creation turned its collective back on him. God’s response to rejection is a great illustration of love in action.
What R said. My experience is that those who pose the “loving God” question don’t acknowledge their own sin against a righteous, holy, loving God. Romans 5:12; Romans 6:23; Romans 5:8; John 3:16-18. These scriptures are beyond wonderful to us if we receive His gift of GRACE (God’s Riches at Christ’s Expense.) Ephesians 2:8,9.
JEC,
Great to hear from you! Your knowledge of God’s Word is astounding. Thank you for sharing these very relevant Scripture references. (Link here)
I’m not God. I can’t assume anything. I’d pray with the person and hope the Holy Spirit gives me the words to help. We have a loving God and He has done so much He gave His son.
Amen, Tim! Amen. 🙂
Question 1:
I think when it comes to physics we understand the concept of natural consequence better than other areas.
You, Jeff, do not sound cold hearted, but the Matthew 22 parable kind of does. God would throw someone out for the wrong clothes!? But it’s a parable, what does each aspect represent? Scripture tells us repeatedly to be clothed in righteousness, or put on Christ, or put on the armor of God. If He’s provided the clothes, isn’t it ridiculous to not wear them? Who wouldn’t want to put on righteousness? Those who won’t admit that God is right.
I’m the parable you see the king inviting a certain group of people to the wedding. They all ignore or worse, harm the messengers.
Then the king changes who is invited, to anyone. And the hall is full of everyone who listened.
But one person didn’t dress right. And we know what happens next.
This is what the kingdom of heaven is like. The banquet is heaven those who attend are those who believe. Those who kill the messengers are the hostile unbelievers. The clothes and attendance are the only standards God has for us. What are his standards? Believe, repent, walk in the light, walk in the Spirit, give up your sinful ways. If my earlier comment of clothing self in righteousness is the correct application, then the real issue is giving up the filthy rags we are wearing now to exchange them. That one man did not.
It is harsh when we forget how long God holds back that judgement to give us the chance to make the right choice.
A,
Well said! I really like your comparison of putting on the righteousness of Christ with putting on the wedding clothes. I had heard that the king in the parable would have provided his guests with clothes, but that is not explicitly stated in the story. Yet God does provide us with his righteousness through his Son Jesus.
Thank you!
Thank you A
I really needed to pray and meditate on today’s devotion. I also appreciate the comments posted. All very thought provoking!
I think the man was thrown out of the wedding because he was speechless. He had not given any thought to where he was going or why. He was invited and that was good enough for him. Come or dont come, your choice, but if you come, come prepared to be a part of the celebration. That is truely accepting the invitation. The wedding celebration isnt the wedding hall, or tables, or decorations, or the meal; the celebration takes place in the heart and comes alive through the guests participation.
I dont think that is cold-hearted. You cant have both joy and discontent at a wedding. One will be remembered over the other.
That second question is driving me crazy because it puts man above God. That our will be done. That if i could “drop a comment card in God’s suggestion box” and He actually manifested it, how it would affect the universe. I am truely unqualified and unworthy.
Roman 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
Love God, serve God, and His Glory will bring you peace on this Earth that nothing of this Earth can take away.
Accept the invitation, truely accept His purpose for your life, and you will sit at the wedding celebration with the King!
Chris,
I am pleased that you find the question engaging!
Your point about being part of the celebration is well taken. My personal view is that I will not be allowed to enter heaven with any earthly hate, bitterness, resentment, envy or covetousness. All of these things are purged by the blood of Christ.
Your second point about putting man’s will above God’s is spot on. That is exactly what happens when we “judge” what God allows to happen.