Daily Huddle - Tue Aug 4, 2020 What Throws You?

Love you all, praying for you,
 
Have you ever read something in the Bible that you didn’t understand? – that tempted you to question what God said, or if He really is as good as people say He is?  It's so easy not to trust God when He does something we don't understand.  It’s funny how we always measure God by our beliefs rather than measure ourselves by God’s beliefs.  The devil’s playbook was exposed in the garden of Eden when he came and talked to Eve.  The first thing He said – Did God really say that?  Yes, He did.  You shall not eat from this tree.  “Well that’s because He knows that…”  As if God was hiding something good from you, or wasn’t good to you.  If the tree would make you as powerful as Him – He wouldn’t be stupid enough to put it in the garden.  As if He would even create something that gave away His superpowers.  The devil is a liar, and He is always trying to make you doubt God’s Word, or His goodness…  and His great, great love for you.  As if He loved you so much that He sent His only Son to die in your place, so you could live forever in Heaven with Him…  just to be 'not nice' to you?  It’s an asinine concept, but people fall for it all the time.  So what throws you?  What would tempt you to doubt or disbelieve, God’s Word, or His Character or His kindness?   What did God say that you don’t understand, or agree with, and find it hard to believe that God would say that?  Is it something to do with His justice, or His mercy, His laws or His forgiveness.  Are you one of those who thinks He’s unfair?  Or unkind, or sexist, or racist or contradictory?  Remember, they knew Jesus wasn’t the Messiah because He disobeyed His parents, He broke the Sabbath, He didn’t respect those in authority – the Priests and Pharisees, and He blasphemed.  So He couldn’t be sinless, plus we all know His father, Joseph the Carpenter.  All those reasons to doubt God, but none of them were true, they just appeared true.  It was his step-dad, not his dad.  Just because His parents left without him, while He was talking with the priests in the temple – who were amazed at the wisdom of a 12 year old, doesn’t mean He disobeyed His parents.  Just because He healed on the Sabbath and broke “man’s rules” doesn’t mean He ever broke God’s rule.  He spoke truth about the evil Pharisees, the white-washed tombs – what they appeared on the outside, but the rot that was within.  It was true.  He spoke the absolute truth, and when He said, “Before Abraham was, I AM.  It’s because He is the Great I AM.  He is the Son of God, with Him from the beginning.  So what you or I might think, is not what is…  it's what you think.  So what throws you about God?  What about Him, or what He says or does – makes you doubt His Word, His Character or His Goodness?  One of the most amazing stories to me in the Bible.  Matt 15:22 – A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me!  My daughter is suffering terribly from demon-possession.”  Jesus did not answer a word.  So his disciples came to him and urged him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.”  He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.”  The woman came and knelt before him.  “Lord, help me!”  she said.  He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to their dogs.”  Wow.  If you measured God by your standards, would that tempt you to doubt Him.  Is He racist, sexist? Misogynist?  What would you do if you heard Jesus say that?  Would you get offended?  Would you unfriend him on facebook?  Would you take offense or would you take the low place.  Could it be that what we think is right, isn’t always fully right?  Might God have different priorities or understanding than we do?  Does that make us right, and Him wrong?  This lady didn’t even blink an eye.  “Yes, Lord,” she said, “but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.”  Wow.  She took the low place, instead of taking offense.  She knew there were some things about God that she might not fully understand, but she humbled herself and kept coming.  Then Jesus answered, ‘Woman, you have great faith!  Your request is granted."  And her daughter was healed from that very hour.  So what about God offends you?  Do you think He is not fair, or not kind, or not what you expect or want Him to be?  There some things in the Bible, that just don’t seem fair.  Will it keep you from what God has for you?  Will it keep you from your healing?  Job had issues with God too.   Finally God answered,  "Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?  Who marked off it’s dimensions, surely you know."  Praying that the next time the devil tries to make you doubt God’s Word, or His Character, His justice or His kindness, that you would choose humility not offense.  That you would understand there might be some things you just don’t know.  But God always proves faithful.  When we lack understanding – He is still Good, and He is always right.  Praying that your humility will result in praise and faith – even when you don’t understand.  You will know eventually, or not...  But God is always Good, He’s always faithful, and He’s always right.  Praying that you will trust Him, even in the questions.  So your faith can grow, and your healing can come.    
 
Love you all,
dad