Why do we minimize God? Our first response may be, "well I don't minimize God" but it might be prudent to think on the subject before giving such a response. I think that today in America we have become so self-sufficient, and self-deterministic, and so full of our own self esteem that the glory and awesomeness of God weighs very lightly in the lives of many who call themselves Christians. In the preface to his book "The Knowledge of the Holy", A. W. Tozer makes the following statement:
"The church has surrendered her once lofty concept of God and has substituted it for one so low, so ignoble, as to be utterly unworthy of thinking, worshiping men. This she has done not deliberately but little by little and without her knowledge; and her very unawareness only makes her situation all the more tragic. The low view of God entertained almost universally among Christians is the cause of a hundred lesser evils everywhere among us. A whole new philosophy of the Christian life has resulted from this one basic error in our religious thinking."
One simple basic error allows us to over look things that God would never want us to overlook. Our low view of God allows us to fail to read our Bibles the place where God talks to us and reveals Himself to us. Our low view of God allows us to fail to pray and talk to God, unless we are in deep need or our life explodes and then we pull out the emergency parachute and throw up a prayer because now we need God. Our low view of God allows us to start our prayers with God I need this and so and so needs this, instead of hallowed be your name, and thank you for your Son our redeemer, and your will be done, as Jesus tells us in scripture it should be done. (See Matthew 6:7-15) The truth is we all need God all the time, every second of every day we need God, and because of our low view of who He is, we more often than not fail to realize we need him even to simply keep breathing. Our low view of God allows us to sit in churches where Pastors preach and teach a gospel that isn't even close to the true gospel of Jesus Christ. They tell us that God loves us and He wants us to be rich and healthy and we aren't just because we don't expect it like some spoiled child. Scripture tells us that false teachers will come and they are among us and a low view of God allows us to listen to them and then believe the garbage they tell us. If you find these last comments offensive then good because a gospel that does not convict and offend is no gospel at all! Psalm 43:3-5 says this,
[3] Send out your light and your truth; let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy hill and to your dwelling!
[4] Then I will go to the altar of God,
to God my exceeding joy, and I will praise you with the lyre, O God, my God.
[5] Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.
(Psalm 43:3-5 ESV)
Send out your light and truth and let them lead me to you God, and you are my exceeding joy, and I will praise you O God my God. These are not the words of someone with a low view of God. They should be the words of every single person who professes belief and faith in Jesus Christ and if they aren't then shame on you. The entire universe continues to exist and hold together because of the will and the power and the unconditional love of an all powerful, holy, and righteous God who has purchased us with His own blood. We all need to open our hearts and minds to the glory and greatness of God experienced here on earth through the Holy Spirit. A holy spirit I might add that a low view of God has allowed many who profess Christianity to deny that He (the Holy Spirit) even exists. Personally I desire to have a very high view of my God, my savior. I hope and it is my prayer that you desire that as well and then that we act on that desire.
As I read your blog Bob, my thoughts went to the Scriptures that rebuke ALL of us who have become lukewarm in our faith just as the church at Laodicea.
ReplyDeleteRevelation 3:14-16 says,
To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:
these are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation. I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm--neither hot or cold--I am about to spit (actually vomit) you out of my mouth.
I believe we could insert the names of our churches in that same slot as Laodicea.
We have lost our focus on the greatness of God of His true "awesomeness." My heart breaks at how often we refer to a new dress, hairstyle, or car as being "totally awesome!!" There is nothing awesome in this world except God and we need to stop making Him our friend, our best buddy and rescuer in time of trouble.
We do not even deserve to stand in His presence, but be humbled and lay prostrate at His feet just saying "Holy, Holy, Holy are you Lord."
May the Holy Spirit begin to convict us of where our hearts are in our relationship with Jesus Christ, and may He begin with me.