Thursday, September 15, 2011

Good Fortune? No, Good God!


I’m wrestling with how much credit we give ourselves for things God is doing in our lives.

A mouse clung onto the bushy nest of hair on top of the elephant’s head. The path they were on led to a bridge that rumbled when the elephant’s feet stomped across. The mouse looked back and said, “We really shook that old bridge up, huh?”

It’s amusing how, when we ask God for help or declare our trust in Him, that we discount His involvement in what happens next.

A lady was praying for a parking place, making round after round in the parking lot at the mall, begging God for a space near the front. Finally a car backed out. “Never mind, Lord, there’s one now.”

Do we forget we asked or did we ask without expecting? If we forgot, was the request genuine? If we didn’t expect, did we ask without faith? Does forgetting or not expecting release us from acknowledgment?

We consider folks lucky when good happens. Being in the right place at the right time is a fortunate coincidence. But what if we actually had asked for what happened or what if we had submitted our circumstances to God? It is our responsibility to connect the good that comes with the God who blesses. Or is it alright to ask but too spiritual to thank Him? Are we so unsure of His actions we’d rather believe in luck than in the hand of God?

Faith requires us to ask, trust, and rely on God in the spirit of gratitude. We offer our petitions on a platter of thanksgiving. We anticipate His goodness. We thank Him in advance for what He’s going to do and whenever or wherever we see the hand of God we give Him praise.

My favorite verse is “My God will accomplish what concerns me.” (Ps 138:8) If I believe that to be true, then I must expect His activity in my life. Whether I have asked for it or am trusting in it as a privilege of belonging to Him, I have to count on Him working His good out in my behalf.

Then, whenever He has done something good in me or through me, I simply smile, knowing who’s the elephant and who’s the mouse.


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