A Pause to Ponder God's Word
"Manipulate God?!?!"

It had been a difficult week for the elderly pastor's wife. She slowly made her way down the steps to the basement to do some laundry. She placed the clothing in the washing machine, put in the soap, and turned on the machine. It wouldn't start. In frustration she looked heavenward and shouted to God; "Lord, my husband and I have served you faithfully for many years. You know that we cannot afford to but a new washing machine any more than we can afford to get this one repaired. You just have to make this thing work!"

Our heart goes out to this women. We are tempted to agree with her. God should miraculously fix her washing machine. After all she as been a faithful servant for many years. She deserves it! But we must not yield to this temptation, for there is a faulty presumption in this kind of thinking. It is the presumption that our good works and our faithfulness are a means by which we get God to do things for us. The church at Galatia had been mislead into believing this very thing and Paul wrote them asking, "Does God give you His Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law or because you believe what you have heard?" (Galatians 3:5)

Anything God does for us is an act of grace. We can do nothing to deserve or merit His working in our lives. It is by grace through faith that we are saved and by grace through faith that God does anything in or through our lives. (Ephesians 2:8) We must never fall into the trap of thinking that we can manipulate God by our works. We must never yield to the temptation of demanding of God thinking our efforts deserve what we ask. This is the thinking of a wayward people.

Our faithfulness and obedience to God and His Word are grace empowered responses to God's grace and love. Obedience to God is our love for in action. (John 14:15) Our work is faith responding to God's grace. "Consider Abraham", Paul directs us. "He believed and it was credited to him as righteousness." (Galatians 3:6) Abraham obediently followed God's will not in an effort to get God to do what he wanted. Rather he followed because he believed what God told him and because God's grace in choosing him was so overwhelming that his faith would allow no other action but to loving obey.

Living in a society that cries of rights and entitlement makes it difficult to maintain a biblical Christian frame of mind. We must be careful not to fall into the erroneous thinking that we can "attain our goal by human effort" (Galatians 3:3) We must not attempt to manipulate God. Rather, overwhelmed by the grander of His grace and love let us live faithful and obedient by His power and for His glory.

Oh, by the way, the washing machine began working. God is gracious indeed!

Keep Close To Jesus
Pastor Gerry


A Pause To Ponder God's Word is written and distributed by Gerald Whetstone, Ordained Elder and teacher in the Church of the Nazarene. These devotionals may be transmitted, duplicated, used in part or in entirety without permission for nonprofit purposes only. Responses welcome. To Subscribe Click Here.
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