Will the Real God Please Stand Up?

I was listening to Christian radio and in one program the participants were discussing the critical nature of Supreme Court nominations. They wanted Christian people to voice concerns to their congressmen. On another program the discussion centered on the power the media has to shape the minds of our children away from God. They stated that Christians have abdicated their role in influencing media. Christians need to do battle with these forces to help ensure raising godly children.

These are all true statements to some degree. There are some good implementable suggestions in our effort to impact our current culture and in our attempts to bring true Christian teaching into the marketplace of ideas. But in what other ways do these statements shape our thinking?

Is God Overwhelmed?

God and Christ seem small. I don't believe this is intentional. And maybe it's just me. But evil looks for full of life, while God constantly needs our help. I hear so much how Christians do such a poor job influencing secular culture—and in some ways joins it—that this is the primary reason why things are getting so bad. All this talk seems to portray Christians as impotent and clumsy. All we have hope for is trying to influence government and courts while avoiding wicked (and growing) influences in our culture. We must seek to preserve our comfortable lives in the midst of a culture war.

Thus, God seems so small and dependent.

Time For The Real God to Show Up

Yet, I know that this can't be true. The God I came to believe in is the God of Christ the Lord. And Jesus was certainly no wimp (though he is often portrayed that way too). It is hard to hear the voice of Jesus amidst all the noise, even from our pulpits themselves!

God doesn't need us. God assigns the agenda, even if it means letting the wicked go their own way. God isn't frustrated, nor needs our financial support. He allows us to join Him in His work. This is just like my 3-year-old trying to help me fold the clothes or fix the sink. It may build a healthy relationship, and build a bond between my daughter and me. But it isn't because the work is so overwhelming for me—and she is so competent—that I need her assistance. In fact, it is better for her that she join me in the work, than it would be for me, since I would have to slow down and exercise more patience than if I worked alone.

Let's Settle The Matter

Perhaps we Christians should spend more time realizing that God would rather we trust Him instead of taking matters into our own hands. Let's not fret or envy the wicked—it leads only to evil. God wants us to be patient, while we do the work he has prepared in advance for each of us to do. Be engaged with the culture not to affect change, but to glorify God in all we do. Help the poor and needy not to end poverty or make the world a better place, but to honor God and bring honor to Christ. Protect our families from bad influences not to make our lives safer or more comfortable, but build a lasting legacy of faith, hope, and love—preparing a generation to be equipped to prepare successive generations for the kingdom of God for the glory of God.