God v man

Popular entertainment has a sudden fascination with discovering who "God" is. This exploration does not seem to be characterized by any renewed interest in spirituality or devotion, but rather with a suspicious and suspecting curiosity, as if humanity were poking at this snake-like idea of "God" with a long stick to see what It would do. We are more interested in what a supreme being has "the right" to do in our world, rather than what questions we have the right to ask.

This suspicion of divine power and the questioning of divine action has most clearly been highlighted recently by the movie Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice. While the actual watching of this movie entailed some of the more miserable minutes of my week, it did ask a series of interesting questions: If called to court would God arrive, should He account for His choices, and what is the ethical standard by which to judge the Creator of the universe?

There was a man many years ago, who thought God owed him an answer. He called YHWH into court  to plead His case and demand an answer from the One who knit him together. Job called the divine to a human court, demanding He acquiesce to a set of mankind's moral standards (the ones on which no two human beings can agree).

Job 13:3, 18 - But I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to argue with God... Behold now, I have prepared my case; I know that I will be vindicated.

Something incredible happened: God showed up. Summoned like a criminal, God came to court. He showed up, but He did not answer Job's questions. Instead He revealed who He was and is and is to come, a glimpse of the choices, actions, and character of the Almighty:

"Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind and said,

Who is this that darkens counsel

By words without knowledge?

Now gird up your loins like a man,

And I will ask you, and you instruct Me!

Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?

Tell Me, if you have understanding,

Who set its measurements? Since you know.

Or who stretched the line on it?

On what were its bases sunk?

Or who laid its cornerstone,

When the morning stars sang together

And all the sons of God shouted for joy?"

                     Job 38:1-7

God did not owe Job any answers. He did not even owe it to Job to show up. He owes us nothing. But He has chosen to give us everything.

We have made power synonymous with evil. The human mind can no longer conceive of a Being with absolute power exercised in omni-mercy, unending patience, and perfect love. In humanity power corrupts. Unable to imagine a better reality, we conclude that power is inherently corruption. Patient power of gentle restraint has become an impossibility. God is not us 2.0. He is not bigger, stronger, faster, fighting the potential for evil. For now, His answer is mercy. His power is restraint. His grace is free.

For what moment in His gracious plan are you demanding God make an answer? Be reminded of who He is, what He has the right to do, and how often He lays aside those rights for the sake of perfect love. For your sake.