Out of all the few Christian books I have read so far, one book has stood out far beyond the rest in recent times...one called "God's Covering" by David Cross from Ellel Ministries. It was one of those "wow, revelation!" kind of reads for me that was obviously directly applicable to real life.
I like the umbrella analogy. Many times we wonder about misfortunes like accidents for example and wonder why did God let this happen to me...why wasn't he protecting me?!!
God's Umbrella is always there for us. But if we are disobedient in some way, essentially we have willingly stepped out from the safety of God's umbrella and shelter. We then may be as good as meat left out for hungry dogs...Heads served up on a platter images also spring to mind(!)
God has left us a guide - the bible - a framework for how we should live which derives from his Almighty All-Knowing WISDOM borne out of his overwhelming LOVE for us...
Humans are naturally willful conceited creatures that often like to think they know best.
Disobedience, Rebellion and Arrogance are definitely key traits that shaped MY Youth and especially without the fortune of being brought up in a Christian household knowing God's wisdom, I fell and fell and fell and dug my own pit again and again until now in recent adulthood having had my eyes opened by faith I have finally LEARNT...There is NO OTHER PLACE I'd rather be than under the safety of God's Umbrella!
It took me a looong time to have the maturity to understand that rules are not just set up by self-important megalomaniacs to oppress us and take away our freedom and make life less fun - they have been put in place by people like Parents as well who CARE enough to guide us and want to keep us from harm in their great Wisdom and Love for us....like Our Loving Father.
Once yielded to God in Obedience and following his precepts set out in the bible, suddenly life becomes so much easier...how blessed are we that life can be so much less overly complicated than it tends to be if we just follow God in Obedience? Not only are we safe and protected under God's Umbrella but Obedience also opens the doorway to the Fruits of His Blessing! :)
So...if you are feeling buffeted by stormy weather, it may be a good time to reflect and self-examine...is there anything YOU have done to have stepped out from God's Umbrella? More importantly, is there anything YOU can DO to get back under God's Umbrella?
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you (James 4:7)
You are sort of right about if you don’t listen to God that you would be out from under his umbrella. But that umbrella is not protection from bad things. Look at the Bible and you will see what I am saying is true. Lots of good people were killed following God. John the Baptist was beheaded. Stephen was the first Christian martyr, being stoned to death for believing in Christ. James the son of Zebedee one of the apostles was put to death by Herod Agrippa. Did these men step out from God’s Umbrella?
ReplyDeleteA better understanding is that if you are not following God you remove yourself from his Grace. You see God gives us his grace to be able to redeem our souls. It helps us to be patient, kind and loving especially in very, very bad situations. The difference is how you handle those situations. See you can lose your job, have your car break down, and a good friend all die in the same week. How you deal with that is really decided by your walk with God. It will suck whether or not you are walking with God. But for someone without God’s grace it will seem so much worse. I am sorry to say, but the harder you strive to do what is right and good in God's eyes the more problems you will have. Because the enemy wants to keep you from God. Like a sports, if you’re trying to reach the goal your opponent doesn’t want you to get there. He will do anything he can to stop you. But with the devil he doesn’t have any rules to stop him.
As to rules, I think you’re missing the mark there also. Rules are basically laws. But laws don’t keep you from sin; they only identify what sin is. You cannot be saved by merely following the law (rules). Paul writes about this often in his letters. One is free in Christ because there is no need for rules. Because any choice other than what God would want would be something a Christian wouldn’t think about. As an analogy: Let’s say there are two people surrounded by candy at their work place. Let’s also suppose that the rule is only one piece of candy a day. Now one of these people just doesn’t like the taste of sugar. So he never eats the candy. The other loves the taste of Candy would like to eat more each day. To the first the rule is meaningless because he would never eat it anyway. To the second it is a rule and a burdensome one. You see the true Christian is like the first person. He doesn’t need the rule and is totally free because he wouldn’t do it anyways. To the second person the rule is burdensome. I am glad you have Zeal for God but don’t get blinded by the superficial.
If life is going well or bad for you, rarely has to do with your walk with God. How your heart and mind are is more of a gauge. You have seen them. People at churches who talk the talk and have a good life and good things and life just seems to work for them. Yet you hear them gossip and brag. Maybe they ignore someone or talk about how angry someone has made them. I will tell you those speak volumes to me about where their walk with God is. And then you will meet others that are poor and down trodden and everything seems wrong in their life. But they never talk bad, they are always helping others. They forgive when others slight them. This also speaks volumes to me and their walk with God. As to James 4:7 your missing the meaning.
God be with you,
An unworthy sinner
This is so true - thanks for sharing! At the end of the day what we experience depends on God's will and God's purpose. And indeed the bible states that those who walk with God and are truly his disciples will experience tribulation, suffering, alienation, mockery and persecution in the world...
ReplyDeleteAt the end of the day though, we know it's worth it!! ^^
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ReplyDeletep.s Back in March I wouldn't have known how to identify this concept as "grace"...hopefully that is compelling for people to notice I genuinely knew about God not through going to church or sunday school or reading the bible...I am still filling in all the theology...all the lingo and concepts...and yes all the horrific stories of how all the apostles? met their death! Thanks :)
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