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Discussion Forum : Devotional Thoughts : Daring Arguments With God

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SteveHale
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Joined: 2007/2/15
Posts: 244
NSW Australia

 Daring Arguments With God

Daring Arguments With God

Saints have sometimes dared to argue with God. And sometimes they have won. When God decided to destroy the Israelites because they were worshiping the golden calf, Moses said to Him, "Turn from Your fierce wrath, and relent from this harm to Your people... And the Lord relented from the harm which He said He would do to His people" (Exodus 32:12,14).

Job accused God of laughing at the trial of the innocent and giving the earth into the hand of the wicked (9:23,24). David prayed in despair, "How long, O Lord? Will You forget me forever?" (Psalm 13:1).

The Lord said to Cain (after the latter killed Abel), "Where is Abel your brother?" He answered, " I do not know. Am I my brother's keeper?" (Genesis 4:9). Cain was, in effect, saying, "You, O Lord, are the Keeper, the one who should watch over all creatures, and yet You ask me concerning Abel." The situation may be compared to that of a thief whose burglary escaped notice until morning. When the watchman caught him, he asked, "Why did you steal?" The thief answered, " I am a thief by profession, and I do my work regularly. Your profession is to stand watch at the gate. Why did you abandon your profession? And now you ask me why I stole!" Thus, too, Cain might have spoken to God: " I killed Abel; but You allowed in me the impulse to evil. You are the Keeper of all and yet You permitted me to kill him. You have killed him! If You had accepted my offering as You accepted his, I would not have been jealous of him.

Rabbi Elimelekh of Lizhensk once sent his disciples on the eve of the Day of Atonement to observe the actions of a tailor. "From him," he said, "you will learn what a man should do on this holy day." From a window they saw the tailor take a book from his shelf in which was written all the sins that he had committed throughout the year. Book in hand, the tailor addressed God: "Today, the day of forgiveness for all Israel, the moment has come for us—you, God, and myself—to settle our account. Here is the list of all my sins, but here also is another volume in which I have written down all the sins that You have committed—the pain, the woe, and the heartache that You have sent me and my family. Lord of the universe, if we were to total the accounts exactly, You would owe me much more than I would owe You! But it is the eve of the Day of Atonement, when everyone is commanded to make peace with his fellow. Hence, I forgive You for Your sins if You will forgive me for mine." The tailor then poured himself a cup of wine, pronounced the blessing over it , and then exclaimed: "L'hayyim! (To life!). Master of the world. Let there now be peace and joy between us, for we have forgiven each other, and our sins are now as if they never were."

The disciples returned to Rabbi Elimelekh, recounted what they had seen and heard, and complained that the tailor's words were overly impudent before heaven. Their master answered that God Himself and His heavenly court had come to listen to what the tailor had said in great simplicity, and the tailor's words had caused great joy in all the spheres.

Speak with God as with a friend. You can be honest with Him . If you consider something He does unjust, say so. Do not cover your inner complaints with flatteries that are not sincere.

God had decided that only males would inherit in Israel. The daughters of Zelophehad pleaded with Moses to return to God and tell Him that since their father had no sons, the law should not apply to them. They should inherit even though they were females. Moses returned with God's answer: "The daughters of Zelophehad speak what is right” (Numbers 27:7).

Be daring with God. Not all His decrees are definitive. Through clearly expressing your dissatisfaction and doubts, you may receive understanding.

Richard Wurmbrand


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Steve

 2015/1/24 18:17Profile





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