I hear so much about what God can and can’t do; what God will or won’t do; where God will or won’t go; who God will or won’t bless; who God loves or doesn’t love. I find myself confused. How is it that we know so very much about what God – that omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent being called by many names – actually feels and thinks about anything?
Right off the bat, I’ve offended some of you and I apologize. It is not my intent to offend. You ask, “How dare you, Mark! Who do you think you are? Don’t you know? Why are you asking such silly questions? After all, aren’t you one of us? (they mean “Christian”)” Yes, I am Christian . . . but perhaps not the same kind of Christian I once was years ago. I’ve changed – grown, I hope. Living life will do that if you allow it. God will meet you there – wherever “there” is – if you allow it to happen. God will change you when that happens, if you are open to it. God will surprise you in how all of this happens too – I guarantee it!
You see, God is everywhere (if His character is what we purport it to be). We can’t keep Him out of anything, anywhere any time, in any way! We don’t have that power! And yet, we so often pretend to to know more than we really do about this unfathomable, Eternal Being. In pretending to know more than we do, we set ourselves and others up to worship a manufactured deity (one forged in our feeble imagination). When we worship a manufactured deity, we run the risk of following a flawed God – one who is created in OUR own image rather than the other way around.
Although I have only shared the following thought with my wife, I dare to share it here, now . . . I often laugh when I hear those passionate pleas to “put God back into our schools and classrooms!” I chuckle. (Now I know you are angry . . .) Let’s face it, if God really is as powerful as we say He is, then His “Everywhereness” is . . . well . . . Everywhere! How can you put someone back in a place He has never left? Oh, I know you are talking about putting prayer back in schools (mandatory that is). I get it, but let’s get real, I’m thinking that people of Faith walk the halls of schools, stroll among the students seated at desks, sit in administrative or counseling offices or engage in discourse in board rooms and do so “Praying without ceasing” for those whom they serve. Those are some pretty powerful prayers and “pray-ers, don’t you think?”
I know that I may lose a few followers (I don’t really have that many any way so . . . ) but in the end I must speak my thoughts or burst!
I am convinced that You Can’t Keep God:
- In a box
- Out of a room
- Away from a place
- From blessing whom He chooses
- From loving those He loves
- From giving when He gives
- From going where He wishes
- From forgiving whom He chooses
- Locked in a closet
- Dressed in your wardrobe
You Can’t Keep God . . . you just can’t! God . . . by whatever name you know Him (and for some of my dear friends, “Her”) will do and be and go and act in whatever manner He desires. Period! It might behoove us to put aside our preconceived notions and ideas and give ourselves a chance to meet the God who won’t be kept!
Peace!
Mark E. Hundley
