There has never been a shortage of inspirational stories and sayings—at least not in any of our lifetimes. With the advent of the internet, the words of advice are now only a mouse-click away, for almost all of us have friends who click “forward” on their e-mail and send them to us, and other friends who post these “good words” on their facebook statuses.
Just one problem. Based on my own experience, most (yes, most) of the stories Christians e-mail to other Christians are either untrue or embellished to the point of misrepresentation. And many—perhaps most—of the sayings or adages are more false than true. And the “moral of the story” is oftentimes almost completely opposite to the radical gospel of Jesus. They are all very nice, very sweet. But often they are just plain wrong!
Here’s one example, a posting from facebook:
God Knows Best, that's why He says NO!
At first glance, this seems true enough, right? Or at least harmless enough, don’t you think? But think about what it says and implies, based on what we believe about prayer. What does this adage say about prayer? In what ways might the saying imply that prayer is mostly “asking for stuff for ourselves” instead of “the most important way we say thank you to God” as taught by the Heidelberg Catechism? If you pray, “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me,” does God ever say no?
How would you respond to this facebook posting? Would you just click “like” and forget about it?
Think for a moment…
Hypothetically, do you think your friend be offended if you challenged the adage? Would it be best to just ignore it? Is it best to just let it go?
I wonder…
And I’d be curious to know what you think about it, too…
Sometimes I just let it go. There’s not enough time to write about everything, after all. But sometimes, especially with a close friend, I will formulate my thoughts and take the risk of trying to do as the Bible teaches, “to speak the truth in love.”
I’d be curious to know how you would respond.
But anyway, for what it’s worth, here’s how I answered:
RE: “God Knows Best, that's why He says NO!”
I understand the sentiment, I think, but I don't think we should be teaching that sentiment to our children. Seems to me there's very, very little in the Bible about God saying no. And lots and lots about yes.
Just a few quotes from Jesus on this subject... "You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it" (John 14:14); "Ask and it will be given to you... (Matthew 7:7); "If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you" (John 15:7).
In my own family's life, we might very well ask, Did God say no to our prayers for healing? What do you think?
As we explained to our kids about a year ago, God said yes and yes and yes. Carolyn's many surgeries and four years of chemo and numerous "little miracles" were all YES answers to prayer. Even in dying there was healing and wholeness. And through the grieving process and in our "new normal" God continues to heal us. God says yes!
Finally, and just as important in our understanding of God, I do not believe God looks down on all the families of the world (all of them praying for protection and good health) and says, "Hmmm, Father Knows Best so I think I'll give this family an adventure with cancer. Like green veggies, they won't like it but it will be good for them! Ha-ha!" No, that is not how God works in the world. Whenever the Bible talks about God's Mighty Acts, the actions are acts of salvation in the fullest sense of that word. Cancer is part of the broken and hurting world in which we live—it is not something “given” by God.
The world is filled with mystery and ambiguity, with unanswered and unanswerable questions. God is far beyond our understanding and yet fully revealed in the face of Jesus, the Lamb, on the cross. And yet ambiguity is okay because Jesus has promised, "I will be with you always...." Mystery is okay because Jesus has promised, “No one can snatch them out of my hands.” God is beyond our understanding. Yet God is Emmanuel—God with us. And that, my friend, is God’s grand and glorious Yes!
CUTE AND CUDDLY CHRISTIANITY: ADDENDUM
There is no shortage of “cute and cuddly” quotes and stories. There is a time and a place for them. But “cute and cuddly” is not an accurate portrayal of the “tragedy, comedy, and fairy tale” (Frederick Buechner) of the Good News. God did not send his Son into the world to bring us a cute and cuddly religion. The crucified One is Lord. Our faith and hope and transformation is shaped by the cross. There is nothing cute and cuddly about the cross.
Jesus died—not to bring comfort to people who are already “pretty-darned-good” and who are already quite comfortable—but to save sinners. We are all poor and needy; we are all shipwrecked and in desperate straits. God did not send Jesus to condemn this hurting and broken world, but that the world through him might be saved.
A POSTSCRIPT: “IN SEARCH OF… HAPPINESS”
Poets agree, happiness cannot be bought, neither can it be sought after. Happiness comes in the midst of not seeking after it, arrives in the midst of mopping a floor, shows up uninvited while emptying the in-basket. The deepest happiness always comes as a surprise party. "Seek God, not happiness--this is the fundamental rule of all meditation" (Dietrich Bonhoeffer).
Happiness surprises. Joy surprises. Grace surprises; the Spirit surprises! Poet Edward Hirsch says, "The stars surprise the sky." I like that. I like surprises.
A POEM (BY WENDELL BERRY): “WHY”
Why all the embarrassment
about being happy?
Sometimes I’m as happy
as a sleeping dog,
and for the same reasons,
and for others.
Glad to be on the journey with you…
Pastor Randy
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