Passive Defiance toward God's Story

 

We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil. (1 Thessalonians 5:12-22 ESV).

 

Most of us don’t deliberately defy God very often. But that doesn’t mean we always accept his story line for our lives. Instead, we simply find subtle ways to resist God’s working in our lives. For instance, one thing we try is to give God the silent treatment. Some people are masters at giving others the silent treatment. The silent treatment is a form of non-communication where one person intentionally refuses to engage with another, either by not speaking or not acknowledging their presence. It can be a passive-aggressive tactic used to express displeasure, disapproval, or contempt. While it can feel temporarily satisfying to the person giving it, the silent treatment can have damaging long-term consequences on relationships.

 

When a conflict comes up in their family or workplace, they simply stop communicating. They withdraw and become silent, hoping that their furious silence will convince people to see things their way. They can communicate something very clearly without saying a word. This is true spiritually as well. We turn away in silence, thinking that our silence will somehow convince Him to keep his distance. We stop praying or serving, and whenever possible we find excuses to avoid Bible study or worship. And if we find we must engage in any of those activities, we make clear that we’re simply going through the motions. Of course, it’s silly to try to keep secrets from a God who knows everything, but that doesn’t mean we don’t try it.

 

The good news is that God is never silent to us. While it may be difficult to understand God’s message, He is never absent from us. No winder the Apostle Paul tells us in our reading today to “pray without ceasing.” Don’t withdraw, lean in closer to the only One who has the power to write your story for great good!

 

Defiance towards God's Story

 

And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything. But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you.” (Luke 15:11-18 ESV).

 

Today’s reading comes from one of my favorite stories Jesus used in His teaching. We call it the “Parable of the Prodigal Son” because one of the central characters is a wayward son. However, the story is more about the father’s love for this wayward son. There is much to learn from this parable. Today, my focus is on the defiance and ultimate repentance of the “prodigal.

 

While it may seem exciting to think of God crafting an eternal story for our lives, the fact is that sometimes we don’t want someone else writing our stories—even God. It can feel a little invasive when God intervenes in personal plans and choices that we want to handle ourselves. We begin to bristle as his story-writing starts to cramp our style. To be sure, it’s a little tricky to rebel against God’s leading. But sometimes God’s people do that. Think of Jonah heading off for Tarshish instead of following God’s call to Nineveh (cf. Jonah 1). Or think of the Israelites’ frequent forays into the worship of idols instead of putting their trust in God.

 

Let me be a gentle as I can… this never ends well for us! Perhaps you can think of a time in your life when you’ve deliberately thrown off your faith in God and the teachings of Scripture, heading out in a bold new direction like the younger son in Jesus’ parable. Perhaps you showed defiance by refusing to do as you know to be God’s will in your life, even when others are calling to you to return.

 

Fortunately, God seems to exhibit enormous patience toward our defiance. Our rejection grieves him as He sees the pain we experience personally and often cause in those we love. He will make a way for us to return and welcome us home when we do. Is it such a time in your life today? Come on home… that is where you belong!

The Twists and Turns of God's Story

 

But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank. (Acts 9:1-9 ESV).

 

Young Saul of Tarsus had a pretty clear idea where his story was headed. He was bright, ambitious, and trained by the best teacher in Israel. He had a future as a powerful leader. And now here was an opportunity: leading the effort to hunt down the followers of Jesus of Nazareth, who had been executed a few months earlier. Jesus’ outrageous teachings had spurred his followers to cause trouble all over Israel. Soon Saul was leading raids on towns and cities, capturing followers of Jesus and bringing them to trial. It felt like a role he was destined to fill.

 

But one day, as his team approached Damascus, everything exploded in front of them—a blinding light, then a loud voice. Saul found himself on his back in the dust. Someone was asking him a question, so he asked, “Who are you?” “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” the voice said. Saul’s heart must have sunk at that. The rabbi they’d put to death was somehow back, and now he was pursuing Saul!

 

By the end of that encounter Saul’s eyes were blinded, but the eyes of his heart had been opened. His friends helped him stumble into town so that he could begin to see what Jesus Christ had in mind for his life story. Saul’s life would be drastically changed. Perhaps you feel like your life has reached a point where there is no u-turn possible; God has already seen this moment and planned for your change. Accept His will and purpose. Take the new direction knowing it will lead to your great good!

 

God's Unfolding Story

 

Now Joseph had been brought down to Egypt, and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, had bought him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him down there. The Lord was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, and he was in the house of his Egyptian master. His master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord caused all that he did to succeed in his hands. So Joseph found favor in his sight and attended him, and he made him overseer of his house rand put him in charge of all that he had. From the time that he made him overseer in his house and over all that he had, the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; the blessing of the Lord was on all that he had, in house and field. (Genesis 39:1-5 ESV).

 

Joseph found himself in the middle of a tough story. I’m sure you’ve heard the story. As the favorite son of a wealthy father, Joseph was resented by his brothers. To get rid of him, they sold him into slavery to merchants bound for Egypt. In Egypt he worked hard, found favor with his master, and eventually was put in charge of the master’s household. Then he landed in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. Later, the one person who might have helped him gain release forgot about him, and Joseph waited day after day as life passed him by. (cf. Genesis 39-40.)

 

But there was more going on in Joseph’s story than we might think. This is true in the story God is writing into our lives. As we brace against each new setback, the Bible tells us that God “was with Joseph.” And eventually we see how God was steadily working out his purposes, even through the disasters of a Hebrew boy wasting away as a slave in Egypt.

 

By the end of Joseph’s story, we’re amazed to see what God has been up to all along. Joseph interprets a dream for the king of Egypt, who makes him a ruler over the land; his brothers tearfully repent of their earlier cruelty; and their entire clan is saved from a famine that might have wiped them out and destroyed the future of God’s people. (cf. Genesis 41-50.)

 

Do not give up in the middle of your story. God’s promise is that He is working it all for your good (cf. Romans 8:28).

 

When the Story Seems Too Long

 

When Saul returned from following the Philistines, he was told, “Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi.” Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel and went to seek David and his men in front of the Wildgoats’ Rocks. And he came to the sheepfolds by the way, where there was a cave, and Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were sitting in the innermost parts of the cave. And the men of David said to him, “Here is the day of which the Lord said to you, ‘Behold, I will give your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it shall seem good to you.’” Then David arose and stealthily cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. And afterward David’s heart struck him, because he had cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. He said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the Lord’s anointed, to put out my hand against him, seeing he is the Lord’s anointed.” So David persuaded his men with these words and did not permit them to attack Saul. (1 Samuel 24:1-7 ESV).

 

When king Saul failed to obey and honor the Lord, Samuel explained that God would give the throne to “a man after his own heart” (cf. 1 Samuel 13:14). That man, David, soon entered the ranks of Saul’s army and became a powerful warrior. Saul felt threatened by this, so he launched an effort to pursue David and kill him. David escaped into the wilderness, living for years as a fugitive.

 

Now, God also tested David in a way like Saul, giving the young warrior a chance to take a shortcut around God’s leading and timing. While hunting for David, Saul ended up entering the same cave in which David was hiding. But Saul didn’t know David was there. David’s men urged him to kill Saul while he had the chance. But David refused, knowing it would be wrong to kill one who had been anointed by God to lead his people. He knew it wouldn’t be right to try to seize the kingship in that way. Eventually David became king over Israel, but by God’s timing, not his (cf. 2 Samuel 5:1-5).

 

When it seems that God is taking way too long to release us from our pain and trouble it is easy to be tempted to take short-cuts. It’s easy to grow frustrated when we think God should deliver us more quickly. Yet God’s timing is always for our good. The problem isn’t that God is taking too long; the problem is that we can’t see what only God can see. Our waiting shows our trust in him. Keep trusting no matter how long your journey seems to be!

 

The Length of God's Story

 

Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” So Abram went, as the Lord had told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother’s son, and all their possessions that they had gathered, and the people that they had acquired in Haran, and they set out to go to the land of Canaan. When they came to the land of Canaan, Abram passed through the land to the place at Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built there an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him. From there he moved to the hill country on the east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. And there he built an altar to the Lord and called upon the name of the Lord. And Abram journeyed on, still going toward the Negeb. (Genesis 12:1-9 ESV).

 

The main difference between a novel and a novella lies in their length and complexity. A novel is a longer work of fiction, typically over 40,000 words, while a novella is shorter, generally falling between 17,500 and 40,000 words. Novels often have multiple characters, subplots, and a more complex structure, while novellas tend to focus on a single, central conflict and fewer characters, leading to a faster pace. And, of course, if we’re talking about a short-story or an essay, they can vary in length from 200-1,000 words.

 

Sometimes God’s stories cover a very long period of time and can extend the time of our journey. In our reading today we see Abram (Abraham) discovers this truth very vividly. God came into Abram’s story in a big way when he was 75 years old. God called him to leave one of the greatest cities in the world to head for parts unknown. The only thing Abram and his wife, Sarai, had to go on was a mysterious promise: “I will make you into a great nation.”

 

But then—nothing happened for a long time. Years passed, with no sign of a family on the way. Then a decade, followed by another decade. Eventually Abram was nearly 100 years old, and Sarai was almost ninety, well past the possibility of a normal pregnancy. Their suspense may well have turned to cynicism as God seemed to have forgotten their story. But then God revealed more of His story in their lives. He came to visit them in disguise (cf. Genesis 18). He promised they would have their long-awaited child in about a year. Sarah laughed, but she soon became pregnant, and then Isaac was born (cf. Genesis 21)! God hadn’t forgotten; he was just building anticipation for a dramatic plot twist.

 

Sometimes our stories take a long time too. Perhaps you’re in the middle of a long wait in the story God is writing in your life. Perhaps you’ve begun to think that God has forgotten you. Be assured: he hasn’t. God is still writing your story! Trust Him for a GREAT ending!

 

A Picture or a Story?

 

But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I give Egypt as your ransom, Cush and Seba in exchange for you. Because you are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you, I give men in return for you, peoples in exchange for your life. (Isaiah 43:1-4 ESV).

 

A picture can indeed tell a story, and sometimes, it can do so more effectively than words. In fact, the common wisdom is that "a picture is worth a thousand words." However, it's more nuanced than simply a one-to-one word count comparison. A picture can convey emotion, mood, and even complex narratives, but the effectiveness of storytelling through images, depending on the photographer's skill in capturing and arranging those images, will create a coherent narrative. Such a story is not merely a snapshot of a moment, it is the total sum of the subject. God is the Master Storyteller.

 

I’ll be honest: there are days when I’m not sure I want someone else to be my storyteller. I’m not sure I want my story to head through uncertainty while it slowly winds its way toward God’s happy ending. While it might be exciting for other people to see God weave their stories through adventure after adventure, I personally find that kind of suspense exhausting.

 

Instead of a story, I think I would prefer a nice picture. I think I would rather have a nice photograph or painting where nothing much happens. I can imagine a pleasant scene where I am enjoying beautiful weather in lovely surroundings. And the best part about this picture would be that it would present very few surprises. Mostly I’d just sit there, relaxing. There are days when I think I’d rather feel that kind of safety than to actually experience God at work. Fortunately, God doesn’t usually grant me that request. Perhaps the same is true for you. You see, we don’t shape our stories; they shape us. Every twist and turn in your narrative is a carefully arranged step in God’s process for developing each of us into the image of Christ. God determines exactly what is necessary for helping us become the person God has called us to be. God doesn’t lead us into our life stories because those adventures will be easy. He leads us into them because they will be good.

 

How about you… are you willing to let God lead you?