Psalm 147.10,11 10
His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor his delight in the legs
of the warrior; 11 the Lord delights in those who fear him, who put their
hope in his unfailing love.
God is so unlike anything we can comprehend of Him. That
isn’t that He isn’t knowable; it’s that He is different than we think Him to
be.
This morning, I read the first half of the account in Numbers,
of Balak, king of Edom; and Balaam, the seer whom Balak had summoned to curse
the nation of Israel camped outside his door. Balak had paid handsomely for
Balaam to come from his homeland to conjure up a powerful curse on Moses and
the people. But Balaam couldn’t come through. When Balak angrily demanded to
know why, Balaam said:
God is not human,
that he should lie,
not
a human being, that he should change his mind.
Does he speak and
then not act?
Does he promise and not fulfill?
Does he promise and not fulfill?
(Numbers 23.18)
Balak had to learn the hard way that God is not someone
to be messed with. Even a pagan witch-doctor knew better than to mess with God.
The psalmist sang: [God’s] pleasure is not in the things in
which man takes pleasure. God made the horse, but isn’t impressed with his
strength. Nor is God wowed by the prowess of a gung-ho soldier. The horse is a
tool, the warrior is an employee. What impresses God is simply this: those who in faith, respect Him and put their
hope in His unfailing love. Want to impress God? Try that on for size.
God, is other; He isn’t like what we imagine Him to be: a
genie to grant our every wish. God is not our servant. And God takes notice of
those who seek after and follow Him. God is impressed with the mystery of faith
in the heart of the humble who professes: there
is a God, and I am not Him.
Our world is full of those who would have us follow after
them and do as they demand. Not God. God isn’t in it for popularity or perks;
God is in it to win the hearts of those who believe in Him, and put their hope –
not their wishful thinking – in His promises.
To put one’s hope in God is simply to live life according
to His promises. I think God is more impressed with our belief than our
accomplishments. How can that be? That smacks against the culture of humanity.
God is different than we think Him to be. God delights in those who delight in
Him. And that is completely counter to the ways of this world.
Lord, today, may I
see you as the One who delights in me that I have put my hope in You. May I
live out today believing in Your promises and even agreeing with a pagan who
said: [You] are not human, that You should lie, deceive and pander; nor are You
a human being, that You should flippantly change Your mind. Does You speak and
then not act? Does You promise and not fulfill?
No, Lord, You delight in those who fear You, who put their hope in Your
unfailing love. Amen
No comments:
Post a Comment