25 Oct It is What It Is (Discovering the true character of God…because He is not a car-wrecking, cancer causing Creator, but a loving, life giving Lord!) part 13
I was watching a Christian television show a few years back. On this episode they were interviewing a very famous country music singer who had rededicated his life to Jesus Christ. In the video testimony he shared how he had grown up as a little boy in a Christian household. At a young age he met Christ. Through time and fame he had strayed a long way from God! He then shared how he had a horrible car accident in which he almost died. There as he lay in his hospital bed, his body battered and broken, he rededicated his life to Jesus.
Because he had now returned to his relationship with the Lord he erroneously tried to put two and two together. He thought since he was far away from God and then got in this awful car accident, that the car wreck must have come from God. However as he continued his story, I discovered the true culprit. It wasn’t God at all…it was the guy riding in his passenger seat. A certain “Mr. Jack Daniels” (for those of you without an alcoholic past like mine, this is a bottle of whiskey)!
It turns out this famous country music singer was drunk out of his mind on whiskey. So it sounds like s spiritual thing to say that “I turned to God in the midst of the car wreck and therefore the car wreck came from God.” However the Bible tells us clearly in James 1:13-17: “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man. But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it brings forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, brings forth death. Do not err, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”
Clearly this was not the work of a good God, this accident was the work of “stupid people”. While it is always wise to turn to God in tragedy, it certainly doesn’t mean He caused it! God will use it and turn it around IF we will turn to Him. But He didn’t cause it. That man’s stupidity did! I truly believe the devil could retire and leave us to our own choices and still do quite well! I also believe he looks at some of our choices and thinks “I never thought of that one. I’m going to have to find another human being to try that one on!”
Remember the key verse in our series from Hebrews 11:6: “For without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”
Join us next week as we jump back into our series…