Not a Safe God

I am currently reading another good book, "Not A Safe God" by Tim Riter. It talks about the fact that we tend to think of God as safe, soft, comforting, our father to run to, our provider, our refuge and strength. Yes God is good, but he is more than that. He is also not safe. The bible also refers to him as an all consuming fire, jealous for us. "The Lord will judge his people. It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." (Hebrews 10:30-31). God will come into our lives and disrupt it in order to transform us and use us. His laws are absolutes, not warm fuzzy suggestions representing good things to strive for. They are not overstatements used to grab our attention to make a point. They are also not legalistic requirements designed for us to struggle with in vain. I know I cannot reach them.

Sometimes it is frustrating. Did God give us these impossible rules to sabotoge us, tease us and set us up for failure? He knew we couldn't keep them. That is why he sent Jesus to bail us out and save us from our sin. So why the rules at all? Even just trying to attain them causes us to turn inward, focusing more on perfecting ourselves than on following God and helping others. This is what the Pharisees did. Aaagghh!

I think God gives us these rules to teach us how impossible it is to save ourselves, how much we need him. They are also targets for us to put into action our faith. With God's help we can attain some, but not all. But it still doesn't mean we shouldn't try. Our transforming and perfecting doesn't stop here, it is a continous process until we get to heaven. We can't earn our salvation. It was already done for us. We just have to accept it gratefully and live out each day in a way to honor God out of love for him.

Our life here isn't about us, it is about HIM! God and Jesus aren't here to help Us achieve Our goals and ambitions. We are here to serve Him and His will, His purposes. That is the first thing we must get into our heads and hearts. I admit it is a hard thing to remember. Life gets busy and closes in on us and it is easy to lose perspective. That is why we must always keep looking to Him.

So we know that we have a good God, a demanding God, and a God who is not safe. But he is also a God who will never leave us nor forsake us. Don't let your faith falter because of a vision of God that is incomplete and false. Look at ALL that he is. He is marvelous and He will astound you. Oh the dreadful wonderful love of God!!!