What You Want

5/10/2017 

Matthew 27.22-23 22 “What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called the Messiah?” Pilate asked. They all answered, “Crucify him!” 23 “Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!” 

It has taken me a lifetime (so far), but these days, I am beginning to understand why God does what God does in, and with my life: He is equipping me to live in dependence upon Him. God uses all I am to bring glory to all He is by working to develop a never-ending dependence upon Him within me. His success will be a miracle beyond description. 

Everyone is born in sin, and everyone has inherited an independent streak from the moment of conception. That, I think, is one of the foremost reasons why everyone is so stubborn and uncooperative, not only with each other; but also with God. 

God will give us what we want but He will not guarantee the results. Alternatively, God will give us what He wants, but we must accept it on His terms, and in doing so, He does guarantee the results.  

When Pilate asked, “What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called the Messiah?”, the Jews, God’s very own people, all answered, “Crucify him!” So, Pilate wanting  their justification asked, “Why? What crime has he committed?” All they did was shout louder: Crucify Him! God allows us to seek what we want. 

I think, it’s when we get to the end of our faithless wants that God then offers: will you now consider My way? God’s way is not our way. God’s way is His way, and His way is completely counter to our way. That’s where the human rub comes: our way vs. His way. 

God’s own people rejected God’s own Messiah, but God wouldn’t guarantee the results. He would remain faithful to His way. That ought to be some measure of comfort to us all that despite our loudest shouts for our own way; God still loves us and works to help us to see things His way. And, perhaps, it’s selfish on His part. Only God gets to be selfish because only God can pull that off, and remain God. 

God’s own people didn’t realize that crucifying God’s Messiah was opening a way for them to have a preferred relationship with Him. God’s ways are not our ways. God works goodness in us, even within our unfaithfulness. Do we have to be unfaithful for God to respond? No, but God has responded to our unfaithfulness. His faithfulness outweighs our unfaithfulness. 

I am tired of doing the same thing repeatedly, expecting different results. I am learning that God is glorified in me for two reasons: first, He is God; and second, He reaches out to me in my sinful independence to teach me holy dependence. Dependence on God is unearthly and counter to all I know and am. But dependence on God gives me meaning, purpose, and peace; and God guarantees the results. 

Father, apart from You, I can do nothing. Nothing of any value, nothing of any meaning, and nothing of any purpose. Use these days to draw me close to You. Help me to loosen my grip on the reins leading to destruction. May I learn to love mercy, seek justice, and walk humbly, obediently, and dependently on You – amen.