Thursday: The Activities of God
Even the most cursory reading of the Bible reveals that God is actively involved in humanity and in what happens here on earth.
Image © Janet Hyun from GoodSalt.com
He is not distant, detached, removed, as some ancient Greek concepts of God taught, or even as some Christian theologians try to depict Him. Though radically different from what He created, the Lord has intimately tied Himself to His creation.
As we saw yesterday, the Bible depicts the Lord as our Creator, an act that shows just how intricately tied to this world He really is. What do the following texts tell us about God’s other activities here on earth, especially in the context of the great controversy?
Without doubt, the Bible reveals a God who is greatly involved with humanity. The whole great controversy scenario is, really, about how the Lord is working to save humanity from the clutches of sin and Satan. From the first act of the earth’s creation (Gen. 1:1) to the cross (John 19:18) to the recreation of the earth (2 Pet. 3:12-13), the Bible shows us unequivocally the Lord’s intimate activity with humanity.
In what ways have you, personally, experienced the activity of God? In what ways have you seen Him work in your life and in the lives of others? In what ways can you learn to draw comfort from knowing God’s closeness and intimacy with us?
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We serve a mighty God and everything that we face is not by accident. I was just tested yesterday and I just went into my bible and read the last chapter in Romans, had my prayer and walked away from it. But this morning I felt compelled to go back in the word and this time I went to Jeremiah and read up to to 5th chapter. I got back on my knees and pleaded to God to give me a sign or some confirmation that I was on the right path and wiped my eyes and proceeded to get ready for work. Something said watch T.D jakes so I turned to the channel and that was part I of my confirmation. He stated that just like sampson who faced a battle that he surely thought he was going to be defeated was exactly when God stepped in to fight your battle when you have given up all hope. My secound confirmation was received when I got to work and my fiancee called and told me that he had a break through. He saw my open bible on the bed and went downstairs and grabbed his bible and started reading. I could here the joy and peace was within in when he told me he got the call for a second interview. I say all this to say that he saw the God in me which compelled him to grab that bible and seek God for himself....GOD IS AWESOME!!!
People have given the word intimacy a profane connotation. We hide the word from our children and equate it with sex in our relationships--but to think that the God of the universe is intimate with us? I often think of the story of Elijah, laying his hands, body, feet, and face over a dead little boy and pleaded with God for mercy and healing. Today, we would probably have a serious problem with someone taking those measures with our child if we didn't know the end result. We serve a God that is so pure and so powerful, yet He never leaves our side. He lives in our hearts and knocks at the door when we lock Him out. He gently whispers in our ear and holds us to His breast. He puts away all of His power and ignores the other universes that respect Him, just so that He can have a closer walk with us--though we slap Him everyday, beg Him to get out of our lives, and oftentimes we find ourselves rigt back in muck because of our disobedience. But God is not like man. Amen! He is love!
Yes, our society has changed and cheapened words that used to have a very different meaning. I am so thankful that God has always longed for intimacy with his earthly children. We are the ones who spurn Him and His offers of love to us. I praise God that He is so patient, so LONGsuffering, because He is unwilling for any to perish.
The following quote from Steps to Christ contains another example of a word that is used very differently today, but according to Webster's 1828 dictionary (see below), it had nothing to do with sexual intimacy.
Through nature and revelation, through His providence, and by the influence of His Spirit, God speaks to us. But these are not enough; we need also to pour out our hearts to Him. In order to have spiritual life and energy, we must have actual intercourse with our heavenly Father. Our minds may be drawn out toward Him; we may meditate upon His works, His mercies, His blessings; but this is not, in the fullest sense, communing with Him. In order to commune with God, we must have something to say to Him concerning our actual life. {SC 93.1}
Prayer is the opening of the heart to God as to a friend. Not that it is necessary in order to make known to God what we are, but in order to enable us to receive Him. Prayer does not bring God down to us, but brings us up to Him. {SC 93.2}
IN'TERCOURSE, n. [L. intercursus, intercurro; inter and curro, to run.] Literally, a running or passing between. Hence,
1. Communication; commerce; connection by reciprocal dealings between persons or nations, either in common affairs and civilities, in trade, or correspondence by letters. We have an intercourse with neighbors and friends in mutual visits and in social concerns; nations and individuals have intercourse with foreign nations or individuals by an interchange of commodities, by purchase and sale, by treaties, contracts, &c.
2. Silent communication or exchange.
This sweet intercourse
Of looks and smiles.
I'm so thankful for God Who loves me personally and wants to be involved with every detail of my life. I pray for more intimacy with Him, that I may know Him better. For Jesus has told us that eternal life is defined as knowing the Father and in knowing the Son. See John 17:3.
Larry, I always cringe when I read that word in Steps to Christ, as I know it has a totally different meaning today. Sometimes I wish they would update some of the words.
I like the definitions that Larry shared. The word intercourse in STC never bothered me because I understood its meaning. I don't know that people use that word today. Some people just use sex and other people use more profane words.
We definitely could use an updated version of STC! Are you going to tackle it William??!!!
William, this has been done with a book called Steps to Jesus. You may read this book at egwwritings.org. However, it doesn't do justice to some of the original language in Steps to Christ. For example, SC 47 says, "What you need to understand is the true force of the will. This is the governing power in the nature of man, the power of decision, or of choice." Steps to Jesus says, "We all need to understand the value of willpower. The power of choice is the ruling power in life." One definition of willpower is "the trait of resolutely controlling your own behavior." I am powerless to do this. The only way to overcome our bent to evil is to have Jesus in control.
God not only wants intimacy from us, He wants us to have it with other human beings. The problem is we have so many hang-ups, preconceived ideas, judgemental views, bad attitudes, emotional pain, pretense and more that we can't trust others and don't communicate. Someday we'll experience true communication with each other and unconditionally accept each other. It's not enough to have a relationship with God. That relationship has to spill over in love to others.
Even though I dwelt in rebellion, I am touched by the love of God. Staying away from God is impossible. There is so much evidence that He is working and is gracious towards me. He seeks to touch my life through ways I cannot imagine. It would be horribly unwise to not respond to His call. I responded to Him today. He instantly healed my heart and gave me peace.
The final question: In what ways can you learn to draw comfort from knowing God’s closeness and intimacy with us? Is an important question, especially as 'knowing God's love is our power to live right (see Titus 2:11,12; 1 John 4:19; & 2 Cor 5:14). In brief, aside from the usual answers such as studying God's word, prayer etc, I would say "non incidental righteousness". Yes we are aware that our good deeds do not contribute to our access to heaven (Ephesisans 2:8), but Still, Jesus sent his disciples out on missions (Matthew 10:5-8); why? You may ask... 1 John 4:7-8 demonstrates that when go out seeking to love others, this too teaches us about the Fathers love for us through experience. By exercising grace in loving someone else, we FEEL the price that God spent to love us in a better way. Let us all not miss out on this. 😉