Far too many people today emote when it comes to God. They feel, but they don’t think. They will make statements like, “Well, I don’t believe in a God of love judging anyone,” or, “My God would never do thus and so,” or the all-time classic, “Well, I am not into organized religion. I am just a spiritual person.”
We need to think carefully about these things. We need to study God – in essence, theology. To neglect it is to do so at our own peril. Experience is never to be the basis for theology; rather, sound theology should be the basis for our experience.
Years ago, C. S. Lewis gave this warning: “If you do not listen to theology, that will not mean you have no ideas about God. It will mean you have a lot of wrong ones. …”
It seems to me that in the church today there is a rising biblical illiteracy among professed followers of Jesus. Though our numbers perhaps have never been higher, it seems our Bible IQ, so to speak, has never been lower.
We need to realize that Christianity is a reasonable faith. It is a logical faith. You do not have to check your brains at the door when you choose to be a follower of Jesus Christ, because God says, “Come now, let us reason together” (Isaiah 1:18 NIV). Another translation reads, “Come. Sit down. Let’s argue this out” (MSG). So God is essentially saying, “Let’s get this right. Get this straightened out in your mind. Understand these things.” We need to think and act biblically, not emotionally.
There is no more important area in which to devote serious thought than our faith, because what we believe about God and what he says about himself is the most important thing we could focus on and think about. What you think about God has everything to do with how you live. A doctrinal error will ultimately lead to loss of character. What you believe determines how you will behave. Your view of God will determine how you react to what comes your way in life.
Some may say, “Oh, Greg, get off it, will you? I just love God. Can’t we set these things aside?” That is a nice sentiment, but here is the problem. What if you end up loving the wrong God? If the God you love is not the God of the Bible, then you are effectively an idolater, worshipping another god.
What would you think of a pilot who stepped into the cockpit and announced, “Fuel, schmuel! Let’s just see how far this bucket of bolts will go!” Or, what would you think of a surgeon who said, “Hey, let’s just get out the scalpel, start cutting and see what happens!” You would be alarmed, of course. Yet at the same time, there is something far more important, something that will determine our eternal destiny that many people treat far too casually, making up the rules as they go.
So let’s make sure we are worshipping the right God as He is presented to us in the pages of Scripture. We must have a proper understanding of the character and nature of God, because what you believe will enable you to get through the challenges and the difficulties of life. If you don’t understand who God is, if your view of God is warped, then it will affect the way you live.
Maybe you are facing great concerns, anxiety, worry, or fears right now. Maybe you feel as though you are all alone and there is no one to help you. Maybe you have even wondered at times if God is even there. Maybe you think He has somehow abandoned you or let you down. I want you to know that nothing could be further from the truth.
The apostle Paul wrote, “God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort” (2 Corinthians 1:3 NLT). God has been there for our family as we have gone through the worst tragedy of our lives: the unexpected departure of my son to heaven. As we have drawn on things that we know are true from the Bible, that foundation has sustained us and helped us to keep our spiritual equilibrium. And God can do the same when a crisis comes into your life.
We live in a storm-tossed world, with global terrorism, rampant immorality and an economy in recession. In these uncertain times, we need a real certainty that will help us get through it. Although times and circumstances may change, God never does. Everything except God is changing day by day. God said, “I am the Lord, and I do not change” (Malachi 3:6 NLT). So I choose to trust in God.
When you trust in God, it doesn’t necessarily change your circumstances. But more often than not, it will change you. Yes, God is infinite, but He is knowable as well.
So consider your circumstances right now. What are you going through? Maybe you are overwhelmed by tragedy or grief or sorrow or confusion or uncertainty or worry. Or maybe you are bound by an addiction of some kind, one so powerful that you feel you can never break free from it. I want you to know that the all-knowing, all-powerful, ever-present God is here to help you. God is here to meet your needs. God is here waiting for you to call out to Him.
When God asked Abraham, “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” it was a rhetorical question. God can do what needs to be done when it needs to be done. But He is waiting for you to call out to Him.
