Autumn 1999

It is an indisputable fact, although perhaps not immediately obvious, that many people, if not the vast majority, often speak of God.

Consider for a moment how often you might hear the name of God mentioned in any particular day. If you look out for it, you will find it appearing in all kinds of places from the mouths of many differing types of people.

Undoubtedly, many folk are quite unaware of their own use of the name of God: It is merely an habitual saying in all kinds of different situations. Often we hear such terms as ‘Oh God’, ‘God knows’, or just simply ‘God’. Yet, in reality, many who so use these phrases live without any reference to the Being of God. That is, until something goes wrong. Then, it seems, God becomes much more than a word used in normal conversation. God now becomes One who can either help us at our time of need (and indeed, it is often felt that He should help us); or He becomes the object of blame for allowing mankind (us) to suffer such things.

Question

At this point a question naturally arises: “If you live your life without any regard to God, why should He suddenly become your helper in time of need, and why should He now be blamed for your sufferings?” Is it not the case, that people show themselves up as those who expect God to do what suits them?

When all is going well, they ignore and forget Him, only mentioning His name by way of a kind of ‘swear’ word; and when things go wrong, they seek His aid or lay blame at His feet. To put it another way, it seems as if they are willing to call on God only when it suits them, and the rest of the time to ignore Him. Moreover, it also seems, that if and when they call upon God, they apply their own standards to Him when it suits them, and at other times do not apply even what they would expect of themselves to Him. What matters is that God ‘fits in’ with them - being there to do what they want Him to do and when they want Him to do it.

Surprisingly, this very same attitude is rampant even amongst the Churches. Some even explicitly teach that God is at our every beck and call, and that all we have to do is name whatsoever we want from God and then go on to ‘claim’ it from Him. Others just simply attend Church each week with no thought to God during the rest of the week (and even during the Church service!). Yet others are apparently very devout, but even so, do not live in accordance with the commands of God.

Accountability

All such cases render God as accountable to mankind. The human race has become its own ‘god’. The creature calls the Creator to serve it. The one who has been created, now calls his Maker to account. And surely this is the greatest of all follies! In the words of God Himself, “Shall the one who contends with the Almighty correct Him? He who rebukes God, let Him answer it” (From the Old Testament Book of Job chapter 40, verse 2).

Gratitude

To make matters worse, in ignoring God, mankind fails to render to God the gratitude that He deserves. The world that we live in, in a multitude of ways, displays God’s kindness towards His creatures. To mention all these things would take volumes and volumes of writings, but by way of example, a Christian of old said,

“The goodness of God is seen in the variety of natural pleasures which He has provided for His creatures. God might have been pleased to satisfy our hunger without the food being pleasing to our palates - how His benevolence appears in the varied flavours which He has given to meats, vegetables, and fruits! God has not only given us senses, but also that which gratifies them; and this too reveals His goodness. The earth might have been as fertile as it is without its surface being so delightfully variegated. Our physical lives could have been sustained without beautiful flowers to regale our eyes with their colours, and our nostrils with their sweet perfumes. We might have walked the fields without the ears being saluted by the music of the birds. Whence, then, this loveliness, this charm, so freely diffused over the face of nature? Verily, ‘The tender mercies of the Lord are over all His works’ (See the Old Testament Psalm, number 145, verse 9) ”.

What a different world it would be if men were only grateful to God for what they have received from Him! If only we were all those who praised God for being so kind to us! And yet, the reality is that we are not grateful. We take all of God’s goodness for granted; we are never satisfied with what we have; we always want more. Is it not a great offence to God to despise His kindness towards us? He has given us what we need, and more beside, and yet we still go on living without giving any thought to Him. Again, it must be folly to offend such a God as this. He is our Maker and Sustainer. And we constantly live according to our own will and desires with no thought of what He would have us be. As we are told, “The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy. He will not always strive with us, nor will He keep His anger forever” (The Old Testament Psalm, number 103, verses 8, 9).

Surely, in the light of this and as we consider our world today, it is time to turn again unto our Maker and hear Him as He has spoken to us in His Word, the Holy Bible, and to live in humble submission to Him; “Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and long-suffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?” (The New Testament Letter of Paul to the Romans, chapter 2, verse 4).