Friday, 19 June 2009
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Is God Intimately Involved in the Details of Our Lives?
How differently would we live if we believed that every event of our lives—from the happy to the tragic to the mundane—were part of a meticulous and purposeful design in which all the elements intertwined with breathtaking precision? That is the question bestselling author and internationally-known speaker, Ravi Zacharias answers in his book, The Grand Weaver. If you are looking for a sizzling summer read to soak up under the sun, a page-turner to track through the subway with, or simply something casual that may take you three months, if you read a chapter every two weeks, but won’t bore you to literal pieces, this is the book for you!
I picked this book up a few years ago after Dr. Zacharias, a renowned apologetic, visited my university and presented the most compelling argument for Christianity that I had ever heard.
It is an understatement to say that this scholar, teacher, author, and radio personality is absolutely brilliant, because after one minute under his voice, it becomes evident that he is not only a genius, but undoubtedly spirit-filled and Holy Ghost-led. This book is evidence of his masterful ability to remind Christians and skeptics alike that God is intimately involved in every detail of our lives.
There is one story about a mother who took a job as an inspector for Firestone in Akron, Ohio during World War II. As a result of her scrutinizing expertise, a young sailor escaped drowning twice because of a life-saving device that she personally inspected. He was able to return to his family on leave to tell of his narrow expect—that sailor was her son!
Did God orchestrate a career path of a mother in a way that would save her son’s lives? And if God can weave the supernatural out of an ordinary factory job, why can’t he do the same out of all the threads of our lives?
Personally, I was most moved by page 50 where Dr. Zacharias includes an elaborate breakdown of Psalm 23. I must confess that I cried as I read it. If you’ve read the book, would love your feedback!
Do you believe God is intimately involved in every detail of your life? Has God miraculously orchestrated an event in your life?
photo: Pandiyan
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- From: FAB
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Comments (17)
I vehemently disagree with the classic definition of "everything happens for a reason" - that is, that God is the sole cause of the events in our lives so that He can orchestrate a 'happy ending'.
However, I believe that God can take the threads in our life (the events that come from the hand of God, the wiles of the devil, the choices we (or other people make), and chance) - and make something wonderful out of them. (Giving God all the glory for the result, without placing the blame on Him for every terrible thing.)
(Believing that God does not cause every event in one's life
allows one to accept that terrible events might not be interpreted as "God smite thee"
but does require one to wonder "why would God let this happen to me?"
and it does make God sometimes seem more distant / aloof...
but it's the only answer for the hell in my life...that God is with me, but He didn't put me in this hell.)
The pastor at my church explains it far better than I do...(blog)
When I woke up and got dressed before brushing my teeth instead of vice-versa, I somehow don't think that was the calling of our Almighty Creator. I am speculating here, but, it seems to me that God works intensely and deeply within His Kingdom/People (as a whole)... not neccessarily in the life of every single human being on the planet.
In the account of Gods workings with Job, @Romans_837@xanga - would be more correct when he said that God allows things to happen. If God had intervined and prevented Job from falling to Satans temptation, where would Gods great Glory be?
Even the scripture "God causes all things to work together for good for those who love Him, and are called according to his purpose" has a significantly broader meaning to it than the individual-- Christians in America have individualize Christianity far more than it once was.
However I tend to think God looks at us as one Body, not individuals (at least, not all the time. I'm sure he sees us individually).
to me, saying that God controls everything is just a coping mechanism. i don't need one.
hardly
I believe our future, as Christians, has been predestined but not "the now". So in the now we have free will. I know if I just listen to the small still voice I will recieve instruction so yes, I believe God is involved in the small details of our lives in a black and white way: "Do this and don't do that". I also believe it is hard to know what we want sometimes so we can take a break to find out what would be best in God's opinion.
Yes, I have experienced God's perfect timing and perfect intervention. I will definitely pick this book up, thanks for the recommendation!
No, God is not involved in every detail. He gave us freewill. He's not involved when we choose to sin.
Yes. I believe God is involved in every detail. Actually, let me rephrase- I believe it is most Biblical to say that God is CAPABLE of being involved
in every detail....and I personally believe He utilizes that capability.Most of the reasons why people reject the idea of God being involved in every detail our lives amount to how we don't see how it is possible, why it is necessary, or how to reconcile that possibility with the reality of sin and our free will. Those are great questions to consider, but we need to spend less time trying to understand how God works and focus on getting to know Who God is.
@Romans_837@xanga -
I still do think there is a reason for everything that happens, by his either permitting it to happen or willing it to happen. His reason for bad things happening may not be sufficient for their occurence; their occurence may be primarily due to human interaction and nature, but, necessarily, there is a reason he permits them to happen, and so it follows that everything happens for a reason.
I like Ravi, but sometimes he overdoes the rhetoric at the expense of clarity. Good post, nonetheless!
Well I don't full even agree w/ the idea of free will as it normally defined. Our will is not autonomous; in other words we can't create options and opportunities that go against the limits God has placed over us unless the Holy Spirit has made those limits obsolete. According to Scripture our wills are either slaves for God or slaves to sin. How is their freedom in that if we only have two options? So being able to make a choice about something doesn't necessarily mean our will is autonomous but it does mean that we can still make choices.
I find this post to be a little silly because there are so many ways to prove God doesn't exist as there are that he does. I don't understand the need to prove it one way or another. Should not the way we live our lives be proof enough?
p
I think since that God has given us free will, we can take whatever events or people He has blessed us with and then take it as we please. In the overall scope of things, of course He already knows our thoughts, desires, and actions, but I think we have a chance to shape the way we look at the details of our lives. But I still think God gives us everything for a specific reason we are not aware of yet.
God gave us the ability to think. And I'd like to think I make my own choices for myself.
Do you believe God is intimately involved in every detail of your life?
Has God miraculously orchestrated an event in your life?
Of course He is! Just cause you can't see what He is doing dosn't mean He's not!
It's interesting how much emphasis there is on free will these days...very interesting.
I totally agree with you. Yes, we have free will; but God is still completely involved in every moment of our lives. That doesn't mean He is robotically controlling us in every decision; it means He is completely aware of each moment of each one of our lives. @deepestrecesses - I would say that an omniscient God is quite capable of seeing both the whole body and of seeing every action and even thought of the individual. And it's not like He has to set some interests on the back burner - He can see everything with equal clarity at any given moment. I think He does care about each of our individual lives, and in great detail.
The issue of Gods sovereignty is discussed in the video link I'm posting below. I urge all of us to listen to what is said in it. Sound exegesis of scripture is the one tool that can clear up any confusion that we have as Christians on this subject. We in turn need to lay down our un-biblical presuppositions and accept what the word of God says.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpfUH83MODQ
The video is a bit heady but learning about God and what He says is worth straining our brains.
Grace and peace!
~Michael
@amylor@xanga - Yes, I certainly do not disagree even one iota with you that God cares a great deal for us, even individually. As you said, there is a great deal of interest expressed these days in free will-- perhaps even an unhealthy amount of interest.
I have forgotten by now what this post said exactly, but if I remember correctly my response was the clarify that God does not, as you said, robotically control every minute action. For instance, I don't think he made me scratch my nose between the words "robotically" and "control" in my last sentance.
I believe that every good work which we do is a direct calling from God to us and that each and every good work we have done is prepared directly for us to do.
I also don't think that this contradicts my original statement about God seeing things in a broader, more wholelistic scenario either-- as you said, God is soverign and can work both individually and wholely in our lives and the world.
Thanks for the comment and clarification. :D