HOW DO I ACT TOWARDS MY CREATOR IN TIMES OF TROUBLE?
Sakkie Parsons
Translated from the Afrikaans Version: Hoe tree ek teenoor my Skepper op in tye van benoudheid?
Translator: Lynda Botha
Someone asked me if we are allowed to ask our Lord to explain why he does certain things with us or those around us.
I share with you how I personally see this matter and the way I have incorporated this within my own life:
We must never forget, even by chance, and think that we could question God for whatever reason.
You can read the whole chapter yourself, but I would like to remind you of the following, since I regard this as a very serious matter. One should not even consider lifting your eyebrows towards God Almighty, let alone to open your mouth to question Him:
ISA 45:9 “What sorrow awaits those who argue with their Creator. Does a clay pot argue with its maker? Does the clay dispute with the one who shapes it, saying, “Stop, you’re doing it wrong!” Does the pot exclaim, “How clumsy can you be?”
I want to mention that I am not just all talk. I know what despair is and I can testify that you should trust our Lord 100% and do only what you humanly possible can do. Do not try to force or pressurize the matter. In other words, do not interfere or tamper with God's work while He is busy with it.
Do what you can, no matter how little, even if it seems insignificant to you, and trust your Creator further.
I write the following in absolute humbleness, but it is reality.
I know it is not easy to do what I’ve said. But one thing is a sure fact; no one can say that I do not know what I'm talking about. I was there a few times in my life, and it worked for me so why would it not work for you?
We are all God's creations and not just any creation; we were created for His glory.
Just like someone who creates something nice to delight themselves, so God created you and me to please Him, make Him happy and to make Him proud. Yes, and for His glory even if everyone is not created from the same stuff.
There are many refining processes required to craft something from silver, gold and even rough diamonds, compared to something crafted from a beautiful piece of stinkwood or yellow wood. Although everything crafted by a true master is very, very valuable.
None of the examples I mentioned above can ask the master who crafted them, why did you not take this or that process with me?
Today there are even some preachers who will tell you that you have the right to confront God. Then there also some preachers who add and remove things in the Word of God and tell you:
"Thus saith the Lord."
I, who are just a piece of pottery, not even a pot, will not dare to confront my Creator and may our Lord help me upkeep the same principle in the future as I did in the past.
If someone wants to say that it is easy for me to talk but I do not know what you are going through, you are right. I do not know what you are going through but believe me I know what despair and trauma is.
I can truly say I was there.
I do not want to cite everything that happened to me, like my hero Paul was forced to do, but I would just like to mention:
I lost my eyesight in a very short time period and it was frightening to realize that I will never see my children's faces again.
It was bad, very bad, when the doctor called to inform me that I had melanoma cancer and if they cannot curb the illness that I would only live another 3 months, if I was fortunate maybe 6.
It was despairingly frightening to watch for seven years, every day, my wife, of 30 wonderful married years, as her mind disappeared into the abyss of dementia.
But I also experienced the way our Lord held me, carried me and shaped me for His glory, because I used my free will He created me with, to keep my eyes fixed on Him and follow Him wherever He leads me.
Also remember and don’t let satan coerce you into thinking otherwise:
LUK 21:19 “By standing firm, you will win your souls.”
ROM 12:12 “Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.”
1 TIM 4:16 “Give your complete attention to these matters. Throw yourself into your tasks so that everyone will see your progress.”
REV 2:25 “..except that you hold tightly to what you have until I come.”
REV 2:26 “To all who are victorious, who obey Me to the very end, to them I will give authority over all the nations.”
When I think back to certain events during my difficult times, I relive the feeling of distress and anguish which was so bad that I cannot believe I have experienced and survived it.
Then I can only cry out spiritually:
Oh, the wonderful love so full of grace and compassion of our Lord !!!
But I can never express it so wonderfully as my hero Paul rejoiced on this occasion:
ROM 11:33,36
33 “Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand His decisions and His ways!”
36 “For everything comes from Him and exists by His power and is intended for His glory. All glory to Him forever! Amen.”
Before I question our Lord, God Almighty and my Creator –
– or rather confront Him because that is exactly what I’ll be doing when I question God – actually if we cut to the bone you are actually saying to God, and I write this with great apprehension: "Come here for a bit. Now stand before me and explain your actions."
– Even if I want to act prescriptive, yes, I must remember before doing this terrible wrong –
I could have used other examples, but I would like to stay within this same passage which my hero Paul wrote, while he sat in jail waiting for his beheading:
ROM 11:34-36
34 “For who can know the Lord’s thoughts? Who knows enough to give Him advice?”
35 “And who has given Him so much that He needs to pay it back?”
36 “For everything comes from Him and exists by His power and is intended for His glory. All glory to Him forever! Amen.”
Greetings,
Sakkie