The Human Question

05.22.13

Romans 3.31 31 Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law. (ESV)

God! What do You want me to do!? I think this is the Human Question. I think this question has been asked ever since man disobeyed in the Garden and spoiled the whole party. I think man (the man Adam) had perfect relationship with God before the fall (his fall, not from grace, but from relationship). I think Adam and God got along swimmingly until man (Adam) decided for some reason, that God was trying to pull the wool over his eyes; there was something for him to have that God wasn’t willing to give. And ever since, man (all men) has asked: God, what do You want me to do? What do You want from me?

To His special chosen people: Israel, God gave a Law and established that through that Law by faith (belief and trust that this was the only way) their relationship with Him would be restored. And so, to the Jew, the Law is a big, big deal. Law for them however, became the focus, not God; they decided keeping the rules was what really mattered to God and so they perfected the Law in order to answer the question: God, what do You want me to do? They put their faith in their ability to obey, not in God who asked them to obey.

To the rest of mankind no law was given; only the gift of grace: God loves me because He is, not because of what I’ve done. So to the rest of mankind comes the question: God, what do You want me to do? And the answer is: Believe in My Solution to your problem by loving Me, trusting Me and accepting My Son, Whom I’ve sent to buy your way out of your problem. The rest of mankind’s answer: Impossible!

To the Jew, there is a need to uphold the Law believing that was the stipulation for the relationship. But because of the human heart, upholding the Law is impossible – however, having faith in the arrangement is what placates a holy God: there is a difference in trying to obey a law because you want to – or because you have to. The “want to”, has his heart in the right place; the “has to”, looks for corners to cut and ‘obeys’ when someone’s eye are on him. Righteousness is borne in the attitude toward the Law and the Giver of the Law.

I can look for God’s approval by trying to impress Him on how good I’ve been. I try to do that all the time. Or I can place my faith, my trust, in His unchanging and unfailing grace and live according to His free gift of love that I neither merit, nor deserve.

What do You want me to do, God? Just love Me Paul trust Me, and let Me take care of things! That’s what I want you to do and when that happens, your need to ask me what to do takes on a whole new meaning: you become interested in what I am interested in, and I will equip you to do the things I ask you to do.

Father, help me today to get this; and to live as You call me to live: loving You and trusting You to guide and direct, and if there is anything You need done, You can call on me… amen.