Keeping up with The Jones

Thursday, November 09, 2006

Need a hand

I've been thinking lately about something that came up recently in a Sunday School class. The discussion was about how we can help God. This immediately struck me as odd, because to me helping only seems truly possible when someone needs help, which God clearly does not. The image that jumped to my mind was that of a young child "helping" his mother bake cookies. Or how whenever you're trying to carry something heavy the smallest child will walk underneath to "help" lift the load. Their contributions are minimal, it would probably be easier to do it without them, and if not for the fact that someone else had the ability to accomplish the task it would be impossible.

And so it is with God, since his foolishness is wiser than our wisdom, and his weakness is stronger than our strength. And we profess constantly that it is only in God’s strength that we can do anything. So if we are helping God, it is he who helps us help him. Doesn’t seem very helpful.

And yet, God chooses to use us. Why? Certainly not because he needs help, or that we can even begin to do anything that he couldn’t instantly do himself. And certainly God’s power is made perfect in our weakness. So God calls us and entrusts us with great responsibility, and just because God doesn’t need us doesn’t mean we’re off the hook.

We talked in Bible Study tonight about Abraham and why God chose him. One suggestion was that God knew his willing response in advance. Which raised the question: what if Abraham had said no? Would God have called someone else? For the salvation of the entire world you’d have to say yes. But what about your neighbor? If you don’t bring them God’s truth and love, will anyone else?

I know each individual must ultimately make their own choice for salvation. And I think our service to God is as much about our own salvation as anyone else’s. But the fact remains that there is a world in darkness and we have been given the light. Where there is light, the darkness flees. Shine.

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