Whoever Said God was Logical
When your 100+ day journey begins with stomach pain and a ‘straight forward’ procedure in the hospital the next day followed by a routine gall bladder surgery a few days later and a hospital discharge before you reach the end of a week, it’s not logical that you would still be sitting by your spouse’s bedside 100+ days later as he’s unable to breathe independently, requiring dialysis, and hooked up to more machines and I.V.s doing so much of the work for his once autonomous body.
The idea that we so often require ‘logic’ from God struck me earlier today. We demand to know ‘why’ things happen or don’t happen. We want God to move in our life in a way that makes sense to US. We find ourselves disappointed and frustrated and struggle in our faith when life or God or both just ‘doesn’t make sense.’
But when did God ever claim to work by our ‘logical’ ways? When did we read examples of his ‘logic’ at work in the lives of the people in the Bible?
Was it logical that Peter should walk on the water? Was it logical that Jesus, simply by speaking, could bring a dead girl back to life? Was it logical that Jesus fed over 15,000 people from one little boy’s lunch? Was it logical that God would have Gideon reduce an army of 32,000 to a mere 300 when they were facing an army of well over 100,000? Was it logical that God would use a shepherd boy to become king and slay Goliath with a rock? Was it logical that God would bring down a city’s impenetrable walls with a group of people walking a few laps?
Was it logical that Jesus, who was without sin, loved ME THOUSANDS of years before I was even born and still chose to die one of the MOST inhumane deaths imaginable simply so that I have the opportunity to have the choice to follow him?
Why do I think God should work using my definition of logic? Why do I so prideful assume MY definition of logic is the best? Why does my faith waiver with the decisions of a sovereign God?
Is it logical that God who used letters from a man in jail to fill the books of the New Testament and spread the gospel could use my random Facebook posts to encourage others as I share my own trials and struggles?
God does not confine and limit His power to what appears logical through my finite knowledge and self-centered perspective. God's 'logic' is eternal and not bound by time & space. God's logic is focused on His glory-not for His benefit, but ours.
Believe me, I understand how desperately we want things to make sense. We want to have a ‘reason’ why this happened or didn’t happen. We want to be able to explain things to ourselves or our kids. But in our desperation to make sense out of the events in life, it’s equally important to realize how many times God moves on our behalf in completely illogical ways. We don’t question His illogical ways when they benefit us or meet a need. We tout His goodness, His mercy, His love. I think it’s just as important for us to put the SAME amount of trust in a sovereign God when things happen, and we don’t see His hand at work. In these moments, I think God is closer than we realize; asking us to simply trust Him.