Day 28: Is God Worthy of Worship?

Is God Worthy of Worship?

In today’s devotional, Strobel interviews Norman Geisler. Geisler has written several books including, Philosophy of Religion. Strobel and Geisler are discussing the character of God in the Old Testament verses the New Testament. Strobel’s main question in this chapter is: “Isn’t there a big difference between an often cruel God of the Old Testament and the loving God of the New Testament?

The word Mercy is found in the bible around 260 times. (The exact number depends on the translation) but about 70% of the references to God’s mercy can be found in the Old Testament. Geisler also throws in that the word Love is found near 320 times, about half in each testament.  The bible says: “I the Lord do not change.”

For I am the Lord, I do not change Malachi 3:6

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever Hebrews 13:8

Strobel continues to argue with Geisler: How can people be expected to worship a God that ordered the execution of every first born Egyptian, flooded the world, killed thousands of thousands of people in battle (Old Testament) and today allows disease and natural disasters that kill millions of innocent people? How can the “wrath of God,” come from the same “Loving Father?”

Geisler responds to this issue by stating that nobody is truly innocent. We are all born with the ability to sin, think about it no one taught us how to lie, cheat, or steal… we were born sinners and we have all fallen into temptations.

For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God Romans 3:23

For I was born a sinner--yes, from the moment my mother conceived me Psalm 51:5

This being said, God created life and created us with free will to choose the sinful world, or choose him. Since He is the creator of life, shouldn’t he have the right to take life away? If you cannot create life, then you do not have the right to take it away. “People assume that what’s wrong for us is wrong for God. However, it’s wrong for me to take your life because I didn’t make it and I don’t own it. I think that sometimes we fail to forget this world is temporary; God takes the life of every person, its called death. It is up to God to decide when an how life will end.

I truly believe that God is our merciful savior and that He gives every living being a chance to hear the truth and decide who they want to serve: their loving creator or this sinful world. We cannot comprehend his reasoning’s or his plan, but we have to trust that when he allows such awful events or takes the life of an innocent person, it is all part of his plan. I keep going back to the verse: 

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose Romans 8:28

Lets get back to the sad events showing the “wrath of God,” such as the flood and the destruction of Old Testament nations. God gave each individual several chances to repent. God does not want to harm anyone, but He will allow unfortunate things to occur in order to save his children! For example Geisler talks about the destruction of the Amalekites. In Deuteronomy 7 God commands the Israelites to destroy them. This nation was far from innocent & their mission was to destroy Israel, God’s people. The destruction of their nation was necessary by the gravity of their sin. The Amalekites wanted to kill every living Israelite! “God took action not only for the sake of the Israelites, but ultimately for the sake of everyone throughout history whose salvation would be provided by the Messiah, born among the Israelites!”

In a less dramatic light, lets relate this question to us. Most of you reading this have never experienced this type of wrath, but God allows our own personal tragedies to work for his Glory and our salvation. Most of us have never truly been alone, starving, or deathly ill. Still it is extremely hard for us to fully trust the Lord when stressful or tragic events occur. Maybe we lose our job, break up with a loved one, lose a loved one, battle an illness or depression, or in my case feel alone and claustrophobic at times! We are all struggling with something because our life is never perfect. We should embrace these struggles because God is teaching us something or using our situations to benefit his plan. I promise, there is a light at the end of the tunnel! He wants you, and me, to be Joyful… not just happy. Happiness is a temporary emotion that can be lost, but Joy is a trait that can last forever. In my bible study last night, a new friend name Sarah said:  “Joy is peace dancing, and peace is joy at rest.” If we are seeking Joy instead of happiness, we can be peaceful through the storm of life.

I don’t know about the rest of you, but I am tired of being on an emotional roller coaster. God has blessed me with so much and I so often forget I was put on this earth to praise him and love others, not become a CEO, celebrity, or millionaire. His plan for my life, my “purpose” is simple: Love God and Love others! That is it… everything else shouldn’t matter.

For those of you who follow my blog, you may know that I have been searching for my purpose and questioning what God has called me to do with my life. I do not know God’s big plan for my life or where I will be five years from now: what job I will have, what relationship I may or may not have, or what city I will call home; but what I do know is God’s purpose for my life! TO LOVE HIM AND LOVE OTHERS! If I can invest my time, energy, and efforts into loving God and loving people, He can do amazing things! New York City is full of lost and lonely people. Most come to this city in search of something… and it is not usually in search of Christ. I think I came here searching for some kind of purpose too, but what I have found is just that simple.

I need all of you to pray that God places the right people in my life, so far there have been lots of ups and LOTS of downs… I want to have peace and patience and rest in God’s plan for my life! I am excited to see what is in store and why the Lord has me living in this crazy city!

Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. Hebrews 13:20-21