GOD'S PERSPECTIVE
Joshua 24:1-10
We talk about being “missional.” When we really understand what it means to be missional we recognize that we need to be missional because God is missional. Did you ever wonder how God looks at his mission? We tend to be so man-centered and self-centered that we spend all our time thinking about what we’ve done. What is God’s perspective on his involvement in human history? As I read Joshua 24 today I was amazed at the words of God as he spoke to Israel through Joshua. His message was completely filled with first person singular verbs! Notice them with me…
“Long ago your forefathers, including Terah the father of Abraham and Nahor, lived beyond the river and worshiped other gods. But I took your father Abraham from the land…(vs. 2, 3)
"[I] led him throughout Canaan…(v. 3)
“[I] gave him many descendants…(v.3)
“Then I sent Moses and Aaron…(v.5)
“I afflicted the Egyptians…(v.5)
“When I brought your fathers out of Egypt…(v.6)
“I brought you to the land of the Amorites who lived east of the Jordan. They fought against you, but I gave them into your hands. I destroyed them from before you…(v.8)
“I delivered you out of his hand….(v.10).”
Here’s how God sees salvation history: I led, I gave, I sent, I afflicted, I brought, I destroyed, I delivered.
I daresay that if we were to make a study of the entire Bible we would find the same thing all the way through. Salvation is something God does, not man. I know this is true in my life. God drew, God convicted, God revealed, God illuminated, God gave repentance, God gave faith, God gave new life. What did I do? I received like an infant.
posted by Shiloh Guy @ Thursday, October 01, 2009
3 comments
3 Comments:
I am with you all the way David, you know my story. Grace me a little here, as I am still thinking these things out...
So Adam is the garden with his task at hand. Naming animals, tending, farming, pondering, prospering. Then he gets to commiserate with Eve and together they enjoy the fruits of their labor and probably conjure up a plan or two to the increase of their astonishment. Then their creative genius in concert with the serpents lies get them mortally fired. God says, " okay mr. creative man of genius, go out there and start over. From Scratch! And take your genius partner with you!!"
We are created in the image of a creating God. Good looked back at his creation and saw that it was good.
So we take our creative genius, that he gave us, and create. WE stand back, look, and declare it good. Some if it really is.
Then we forget and worship it as though WE are the creator.
I think of the scene in the shipwreck movie with Tom Hanks when after many, many, bloodied hand attempts at starting a flame he declares astonished," I have made fire!!", and then dances around it with joy and wonder at HIS accomplishment.
Jesus never worshiped his creative genius. Even after HE raised people from the dead. HE humbly worshiped God the creator. Even in the midst of all these miraculous events. He took no ownership.
I on the other hand take ownership. I really hate that about me.
So I really think it is in our spiritual dna to create and expand on the garden we were created to care for, while praising our maker for all of this provision. Albeit in a very broken manner. I am astounded that my creator lets me create. This thought blows my mind!
Is any of this heretical?
Gregory,
NO! NOT HERETICAL! BEAUTIFUL! That is a truly unique and creative way of looking at the mission of God in our world. Now, think about this. When the church stops being missional and begins to love its creation and its comfortable existence, how does that fit into your illustration? I'd love to see what you could write about that! What is the church doing with its "task at hand?"
Okaaaay...here goes.
We are robbing God of his provision, blessing, and Glory. We are robbing God of his witness to a perishing world. What's more, we create, then claim it as our own creation,and then even more astonishingly, do it in the name of Jesus Christ. Woe!!
No wonder the church is marginalized. No wonder the church is utterly irrelevant to the culture at large. God will NOT be robbed of his glory! EZ16 pretty much sums this up.
...and then the church wants us to invite our friends and neighbors to come to church, so we can teach them. Teach them to do what? The same things the church is doing?!? WHAT is the church doing that is any different than the culture at large? No, really??
So the spirit of God moves among us... are we really supposed to plant this church here? Show us a sign God. Ok. How will we pay for it? Give me another sign. Ok. Give us another sign, so we can be sure. OK, Ok we're supposed to do this. WE'll start just as soon as you send us 80% down, just so we can be sure.
Where, in Jesus Name, is there faith in that? NO, really?
That is what the church seems to be doing with its task at hand.
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