Disclaimer - Part 2

Let me tell you why it’s foolish to try and hide from God---

First, it will definitely be unsuccessful because no one can escape God. David thought about it and asked "Where can I go from your spirit?" (See Psalm 139:7-12). God is present everywhere and He knows everything. You only exist in His universe because He allows you to.

Second, we increase our misery by hiding or running away from God. If you run from God who is the source of all good— "Every good and perfect gift is from above", the only thing you can hope to find is misery. Think of the misery the prodigal son experienced by his disobedience. It is really foolish to run from your Heavenly Father and your only true home.

The third reason it’s foolish to hide from God is that God loves you and cares for you even when you run away. Sin blinds us to the goodness of God, we choose to believe a lie that God was responsible for our pain and so we run from Him.

I believe many Christians have been fed a fantasy Gospel of success, prosperity, human-centeredness, self-esteem and victory, along with a complete under-estimation of sin and its consequences. It was the Laodicean church that said, "We are rich, we have prospered and there’s nothing we need". Jesus had a different view of things— "You do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked" (Rev.3:17). Jesus said this to people He loved, "Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline" (Rev.3:19).

Man’s nature is not slightly flawed, simply in need of more self-esteem, or sick, he’s dead! Man doesn’t need a operation, he needs a resurrection. Sin isn’t just a problem that caused you to come to Christ for salvation, sin is your problem your whole life. Real Christians are sinners until the day they die. The only way forward is the path of humility and brokenness but that’s not a popular message. How about this for a church advertisement: "Come to the Church of Humility and Brokenness".

God does some of His best work when we can’t make life "work". God is constantly teaching us to trust Him and humbly depend on Him. He is constantly working through our messy lives, redirecting us away from our sinful thoughts and actions toward our ultimate good.

Why run from God? Stop running and hear His voice as He calls to you. It is not an angry voice, it is a gentle, loving, patient voice. It offers you salvation through Christ. Run to God, He has not changed, He has not harmed you, He has done you no wrong, you have received nothing but good from His hand. We need the Gospel everyday, we need to run to God everyday. To a God whose patience and love are beyond comprehension, a God of grace and glory who alone is worthy of our gratitude and worship.

Last week I was listening to a Kirk Franklin cd, "The Nu Nation Project". It’s been a couple of years since I last listened and there was a song that brought me to tears that sums up my thoughts, "Jesus you are my joy within, You are the shelter from the wind, You’re the forgiver of my sins, Jesus you are, yea. Where can I go, who can I call, who’s there to catch me when I fall, Your hands they hold me through it all, everything I need you are". (Jesus You Are)