When God Doesn't Play Along

It was one of those “feel good” movies on a “faith and family” streaming service. A little girl prays for people, and they’re healed. Then she says she saw Jesus—a reminder that looking to entertainment media for sound theology is never wise, though people keep trying. A theme runs through the story: she prays, and her brother’s team does not win. “Daddy, doesn’t God want his team to win?” Later, the crisis peaks and the little girl is dying. Her grandfather goes out to the lake and yells at God, “How could You take a soul like hers? If You have to take someone, take me!” Bad theology.

We seem to think God is a man just like us—that He wants what we want, that He thinks “good” is what we think is good. And if He doesn’t, then He must be wrong. Either He’s not able, not willing, or not caring enough. After all, our version of “good” is obviously the right one, and He had better explain Himself if He expects to remain in our good graces. If He doesn't see that, it's clear that we're much wiser than He is.

But you know that isn’t true. Step back from the moment and you can see it clearly: it is neither wise nor biblical to assume that we know what is best and that God must conform to our standards of good and bad, right and wrong, wise and foolish.

Paul defines sin as “falling short of the glory of God” (Rom 3:23). He tells us to do everything “to the glory of God” (1 Cor 10:31). When he lists the blessings we have in Christ, he repeats that they are “to the praise of His glory” (Eph 1:3–14). Are you seeing the theme? Or consider Nadab and Abihu (Lev 10:1–3) or Uzzah (2 Sam 6:3–8), where God makes clear His opinion of those who disregard His holiness. God’s standard of “good” is “that which best reveals the glory of God,” and sometimes that is painful for human beings—and for the rest of creation.

So the question remains: is that acceptable to you? Will we, the creation, allow God, the Creator, to be God? Will we submit our version of “good” to His?