God, have your way in me!

I remember, as a kid, hearing the story of the Children of Israel as they were delivered from slavery in Egypt and moved to the freedom in the Promised Land.   I remember being so surprised by their constant ‘grumbling’ and ‘complaining’ along the way. I recall being shocked by their behavior after witnessing such amazing feats of supernatural power – Nile turning to blood; Angel of death taking the first born; parting the Red Sea; drowning Pharaoh’s army; water coming from rocks; manna from heaven – and yet seeming to forget these incredible demonstrations almost over night. I remember judging this group of people for displaying this ungrateful attitude to the same God that had just delivered them.

What was wrong with these people that they don’t remember what God just did?  Were they not paying attention, did they not see the amazing demonstration of God’s love and might towards His chosen people? I remember thinking that if I had experienced such acts of wonder and greatness I certainly would not forget so easily – or would I?

Fast forward several hundred years in the story and we are introduced to a new group of God’s chosen people who are struggling with a similar problem of remembering God in the midst of amazing demonstrations and acts of power, that of the Pharisees.

Like the children of Israel, the Pharisees witnessed some overwhelming and inexplicable acts of God’s power. They saw water turned to wine, lame men walk, blind men see, dead folks restored back to life.  But at every turn, they questioned its’ validity and the Man who performed these miracles.

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Like the children of Israel, this was a new experience and a new side of God they had not seen before. These supernatural acts were meeting some very real needs but was creating chaos in their carefully managed and rigidly held traditions of holding to the law and holding deviation from the law over the heads of other people.

And like I did with the children of Israel, I found it very easy to judge the Pharisees and condemn their behavior. How could they question each and every one of Jesus’ miracles? How could they give Him such a hard time when everything Jesus was doing was so good? How did they miss that Jesus was the fulfillment of prophecy?

The answer is simple:  both of these groups judged God through the evidence through the lens of their own personal needs and experiences.   The children of Israel chose to view God through their immediate needs and personal experiences. That is why it was so easy to constantly forget what great miracles had been done – they were only looking at the newest need that presented itself – protection, deliverance, food, water, shelter, etc.  God had delivered them yesterday – but they were hungry today!  Thirsty now!  Tired of this long wilderness trek already!

The Pharisees were doing the same thing. They were allowing their own personal needs and experiences to shape how they viewed everything, including the works of Jesus.  Over the years they had come to enjoy many perks of being a Pharisee, the level of importance that it provided and the overall standing within the community. As religious leaders their interpretation of Scripture became the standard to which everything was measured.  As political influencers, they maintained a position of power within the Roman rule that gave them a cultural significance among the Jews. As the wealthy elite, they carried with them an air of success and social importance that most Jews came to desire.

Jesus began to upset this apple-cart when He pointed out that the Pharisees had missed the mark.  Their focus was no longer on God, but instead on the applause of men, the positions of honor they were receiving, and their overall reputation. They were doing the work of the law, but their hearts were far from God. 

It’s easy to read the Bible and be critical of these groups.  But don’t we do the same? Don’t we interpret everything through our own needs and experiences and then judge God as good and faithful or distant and cruel?

If Jesus were to come to earth today would we receive Him like the Pharisees or like the sinners who need a Savior? Would we truly ‘see’ what He was doing and be amazed or would we interpret through our own personal needs and experiences which might cause us to come to the wrong conclusion?

Paul, a former Pharisee, was convinced that he was doing the right thing and defending God against the evil work of Jesus! He had people killed, thrown in prison, beaten severely, and tortured to ensure that this work of Jesus would stop. However, it was not until he had an experience with Jesus Himself that caused his heart to change and to see the truth.  His perspective, based on his experience, had been wrong.  His understanding had been limited.  His view of God far too small.

Let us through off the cloak of importance that we have made for ourselves and remember that when all is stripped away we are simply sinners in need of a Savior! We do not ‘grow’ out of being a sinner and we do not ‘mature’ our way out of needing grace. We are in a constant need of salvation and therefore need of Jesus. We must learn to set aside our personal interpretations and judgments. Will we let Jesus upset our apple carts?  Are we willing to lay aside our own judgments and understanding of what is happening in our lives, that we may truly see the miracles of God?  I don’t want to miss what God is doing in my life because I’m consumed with my circumstances or limited by my own understanding.  I don’t want to have Jesus standing right in front of me and miss it because I am blinded by my own issues.  God, have your way in me!