It's amazing what we attribute to God...and what we don't
I'm doing my reading in the Message Version of the bible and I'm loving it. This story of Jacob stealing Esau's blessing is a familiar one, but he Message makes it come a live in a new way.
The most striking piece to me is when Isaac is skeptical that it is Jacob in front of him and then Esau uses a few lines to try to convince him of the lie. One of those lines is this:
Isaac said, “So soon? How did you get it so quickly?”
“Because your God cleared the way for me.”
Seriously. Not only does he lie, but when he doesn't ahve any other explanation he actually attributes somethign to God that was false.
The only problem: I wonder if I ever do that. It sure sounds good and convincing coming out. Who can argue with "God told me" or "God did it."??? And even if it isn't this blatent (as in a flat out lie), am I ever tempted to use that line where I think it might be true, but say it as if it is definitively true?
People attribute all kinds of things to God he doesn't deserve credit for. (My personal favorite came from a conversation with a teenager who just got his girldfriend pregnant. He literally said to me, "How could God let this happen?" (I wasn't all that "pastoral" in my response.)
Then there is the flip side....what abotu all the things God is doing in this world (my world) right now that I'm not giving him credit for? How often do I credit myself for somethign that God arranged, God brought about, God used his power to accomplish? Too often, I'm afraid.
Today, God, I'm committed to noticing your work in this world...and not attributing things to you that only serve my pupose.
Created over 3 years ago
