Having just read an article from a Baptist church paper, I feel constrained to attempt to cheer God somewhat. He must be in a fretful state of mind. The article states, "We the people of God, believing this truth to be self-evident, declare during this month of July, the need to be totally dependent upon God and His Spirit. Only then will God have freedom to move among His people and do His Work. "
For God's sake, I certainly do hope that everyone in this particular church concurs in this proclamation, for it would be sad indeed if the Almighty were disappointed. I know He must certainly join in this hope with me. Poor God if this does not take place 100%. Then He would be likened to an insurance salesman who lost his best prospect to another company. What a bitter disappointment! O' well, perhaps the Lord Jehovah will have a better day tomorrow.
He must be very downcast when "only then will God have freedom to move among His people and do His work." May we all take time out to gather around His rocking chair and do our best to console Him.
There was a time when God could say, "This is the purpose that is purposed upon the whole earth: and this is the hand that is stretched out upon all nations. For the Lord of hosts hast purposed, and who shall disannul it? And His hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?" Isaiah 14:26, 27. Of course, this was before God found out that He could do nothing if the will of man did not allow it. Poor God. How severely He must have been stricken when this shattering knowledge came to Him! I am so glad, however, that He did not discover this before these words were penned: "It is He that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants' thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in: that bringeth the princes to nothing; He maketh the judges of the earth as vanity." Isaiah 40:22, 23. Surely He must owe an apology to these princes and judges whom He treated so badly. Did you not know, 0 Lord, that these were sovereign men in their free will? The very idea of referring to man as grasshoppers! He surely must not have known our greatness. Poor God.
Again, using Bildad the Shuhite, God was mistaken when He caused these words to be spoken, "How much less man, that is a worm? And the son of man which is a worm?" Job 25:6. Bildad had extolled the glories of God in that the moon and stars are not pure in His sight, and then he says that if the creation of God is not pure in His sight, How much less man that is a Worm. Shame! God knows that He has no "Freedom to do His work" unless the will of worms allows it.
In commenting on earthly honors, C. H. Spurgeon made this observation, "Let us never court great titles nor proud degrees. What are they, after all, but beggarly distinctions whereby one worm is known from another." Shame on Mr. Spurgeon. Shame on Bildad. Shame on Jehovah God for insulting such a mighty creature as man.
I feel sure the Apostle Paul's theology would have changed had he known that God had no freedom to do His Work unless church people allow it by a July declaration that He may. In Eph. 1:11 Paul states, "In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who worketh all things according the counsel of His own will. " Poor Paul. How unenlightened! Did he not know that God did not have freedom to do His Work unless He was unshackled by human resolve? Paul's theology now would be this: "He worketh all things according to the will of those to whom He is subject." Modern day Baptists would certainly be apt instructors to correct poor Paul's thinking.
Alas! Poor God. May we gather round His rocking chair and make a resolve that, at least for a while, we will allow Him freedom to do His Work. I know He will appreciate it.