Commitment and faithfulness

  So often we question God on why he doesn't respond to our prayers the way we want him to.  "I've held up my end God, where are you now?".  There is a problem with this mentality.  It is much more than a simple misunderstanding of God's timing.  Deep down, when we think this way, we are questioning his commitment and faithfulness to us.  There is no one more faithful than him.
Throughout the scriptures, in almost every single book, we see that we as people turn away from God.  But we also see that when we cry out and turn back to God, he is still there and embraces us with open arms.
  Jesus's commitment to the apostles despite their numerous shortcomings is second to none.  Before facing his eventual brutal humiliation, flogging, and crucifixion, we see him under tremendous stress, sweating blood and asking if there is "any other way".  He walked directly to the cross, meeting death with a kiss.  Yes, he overcame death, something only he could accomplish, but we cannot disregard the amount of commitment he has for us.  In the Great Commission at the end of Matthew, Jesus says that he is with his disciples until the end of the age.
  Our mentality of "I've held up my end God, where are you now" can lead to, and even attempt to justify, things like divorce.  Things aren't going the way you want so you give up.  Divorce is a break in commitment, a grasp for control, and a desire for self.  Divorce says that God won't come through.
  In Hosea, we see that Hosea is told to marry Gomer, a prostitute.  Over and over Hosea pursues Gomer, grabbing her from lovers' arms.  As hard as it is to swallow Hosea's story, it tells us of God's unfailing commitment to us.
  The beautiful thing is that, despite our unfaithfulness to him, he remains faithful (2 Timothy 2:13).  Unlike all other relationships in our lives, God doesn't dip out when things get tough.  God always accepts us with overflowing forgiveness.  God is jealous for us because he wants us.  We cheat on him constantly.  He pursues us when we run.  He loves us even after all the unfaithfulness.  Take heart!  He will come through.  He will incline his ear to us when we cry out.  Our loved ones may pass, and surely we will suffer, but he is with us and is fully committed to us.

"For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." Hebrews 4:15-16

The Gravity of God

Like planets and stars, the biggest things in this universe have their own gravity.  Likewise, I think God has gravity.  I think that our wandering selves need to gravitate toward him and get caught in his grasp.  I believe that we struggle and fight the weight of glory all the time, desperately wanting to keep control and power and not let God have it.  I think most of us really become aware of God's gravity at our lowest point.  When we hit rock-bottom and are crushed, we sometimes finally let go and God has His way, his perfect way that may not always make sense to us.  It is this "poor in spirit" attitude, the realization that we can't do this on our own, that we need.  I think that, possibly, God is so big, our orbit is so long, and our vision is so near-sighted that we aren't capable of understanding the path that we are on.  But with God at the center, we can be confident that we are safe in His control.  That, even when we are broken and confused, He knows where we are headed.  We can find comfort in this "For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,  who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him" (1 Thessalonians 5:9-10).  We are assured that, through Jesus, our future is secure.  Without Jesus, we are helplessly wandering off into the darkness looking for whatever is next, looking for some place to call home.  All the while, God has set up a place for us, a place of purpose, love, and community, a place with no more pain and no more death.  May we keep Him at the center.  Amen.