God Causes . . .?

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.” (Proverbs 3:5; NASB).

Friday, February 6, 2009

Dear Fellow Travelers,
We live, as if we can somehow avoid, change, even eliminate the what, when, how, where, and who of God’s foreknowledge, of His predetermined plan for our lives—we really do. Not only that, it appears that we honestly think it is in our best interest to do so! Furthermore, many honestly believe it would not have been fair for God to have preplanned our lives, as His doing so would have reduced us to mere puppets. In other words, for many it is fine for God to have foreknowledge, even perfect foreknowledge, but it is NOT fine for His prescience to have any influence over the events that happen in our lives. After all, He has given us “free will,” or so we are taught (and it feels so good to believe that, that we do!).
Take this for example: In His foreknowledge, God knew that John Doe would break his leg by stumbling over his lawn mower on July 10, 2008. Obviously, if God knew in advance (even before the foundation of the world!) that this event would take place, then it took place, just as He foreknew it would. Surely, no one would have a problem with this! The problem comes, however, when someone even hints that God’s foreknowledge determined this event, and it comes because we do not want even to think that anyone, even God, has this kind of control over our lives. To say that He allowed it, is one thing; to say that He caused it, is quite another, and it is because it eliminates any control we might think we have over our lives! To be sure, when we realize that His plan for us is contrary to what we desire for our lives, many (if not, most) of us begin doing whatever we can to avoid, change, even, sometimes, eliminate the what, when, how, where, and who of His foreknowledge! Of course, the way to accomplish this is simple—have enough faith! After all, faith the size of a mustard seed can move mountains!
Even so, I do have this question: If it is true that God allows ONLY that which He (He, not we!) deems best, His ultimate good, to come into our lives, why, pray tell, would we want to do anything to avoid it? Why would we want to remove a “mountain” that He has placed, or allowed to be placed, into our lives for His glory and for our good?
As I said yesterday, coming to that place of compliant surrender to His sovereign, predetermined plan for my life, is no easy task; in fact, I cannot do it. To be sure, it is one thing for me to say that I trust God; however, it is quite another for me to truly trust Him. Oh, I can talk-the-talk, but walking-this-walk, well, it is too difficult for me. I’m a weenie!
Having said all of that, I leave you with this question: Did God’s foreknowledge determine His choice in election? You think about this and I will continue on the morrow-