Today I asked a question via Twitter/Facebook:
When was the last time you wrestled with a hard truth of God, and what truth was it?
I got lots of great answers, including one about how Philip likes to wrestle with open theists (What the heck is that about Flip?) Some highlights were “love those who hate you,” “am I really where God wants me,” “does God choose those who come to Him,” etc.
My answer is “Just how sovereign IS God?”
I’ve been reading through 2 Chronicles, and there are several passages that are kicking me in the head over and over again. We are used to hearing phrases like “God is in control,” but the debate is over exactly how He asserts that control. The passages in question attribute things to God that most modern-day Christians would cry foul over. Things like this:
So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king said, “Come to me again the third day.” And the king answered them harshly; and forsaking the counsel of the old men, King Rehoboam spoke to them according to the counsel of the young men, saying, “My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to it. My father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.” So the king did not listen to the people, for it was a turn of affairs brought about by God that the Lord might fulfill his word, which he spoke by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat. – 2 Chronicles 10:12-15 (emphasis mine)
And this:
And Micaiah said, “Therefore hear the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing on his right hand and on his left. And the Lord said, ‘Who will entice Ahab the king of Israel, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’ And one said one thing, and another said another. Then a spirit came forward and stood before the Lord, saying, ‘I will entice him.’ And the Lord said to him, ‘By what means?’ And he said, ‘I will go out, and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ And he said, ‘You are to entice him, and you shall succeed; go out and do so.’ Now therefore behold, the Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouth of these your prophets. The Lord has declared disaster concerning you.” – 2 Chronicles 18:18-22 (emphasis mine)
And this:
But Amaziah would not listen, for it was of God, in order that he might give them into the hand of their enemies, because they had sought the gods of Edom. – 2 Chronicles 25:20 (emphasis mine)
I think you get my point. Needless to say, I’ve been struggling with proper understanding of these passages and what greater implications are held within. That’s my “Theology to make your brain ache” message of the day.
On another note, I dropped my iPhone today, and it fell face down on the concrete. The screen is pretty much toast, but surprisingly it still works. I covered the screen with packing tape to keep the pieces from falling off, but that’s obviously a temporary fix.
Isn’t that awesome? Click that picture to see one that’s really close and shows just how awesome that is. One bad move and a sharp piece will go through the interior screen and that will be all she wrote. I guess I’m going to have to forgo any actual Christmas presents this year and just get people to contribute to the “Cory needs a new iPhone” fund.
Soli Deo Gloria
