Saturday, September 17

CS Lewis: God in Time

Intro:
What is it that about time that can make some periods of time feel long and others short? Have you ever noticed how the week leading up to vacation can feel like 10 years while the week of vacation passes so quickly?

Something in anticipation and longing makes time feel long. Something in enjoyment makes time feel short.

So, how does God work in time? Does He know long waiting periods? Does He experience slow down times? What's the deal?

"God is not hurried along in the Time-stream of this universe any more than an author is hurried along in the imaginary time of his own novel. He has infinite attention to spare for each one of us. He does not have to deal with us in the mass. You are as much alone with Him as if you were the only being He had ever created. When Christ died, He died for you individually just as much as if you had been the only man in the world."

CS Lewis

Read: Exodus 3:11-14; John 8:54-59
11 But Moses said to God, "Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?"

12 And God said, "I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain."

13 Moses said to God, "Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is his name?' Then what shall I tell them?"

14 God said to Moses, "I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: 'I AM has sent me to you.' "

John 8
54 Jesus replied, "If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing. My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me. 55 Though you do not know him, I know him. If I said I did not, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and keep his word. 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad."

57 "You are not yet fifty years old," the Jews said to him, "and you have seen Abraham!"

58 "I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "before Abraham was born, I am!" 59 At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds.

Think:
Moses and Jesus teach us something about the nature of God. Moses was in a jam. He had to go to a big-time king and ask him to give up 1 million people to go on a religious experiment. Think through this from the king's perspective. This was his major cheap labor force. These were his slaves. They had projects underway. There was no way the king was going to let them go.

Moses knew it. He knew the king would ask him why he should let them go. Moses needed some support. He needed the king to know who he was messing with. He needed some authority and back up.

So he asks God for a name! God's answer: I AM. God's validation that He is who He is is that He exists now and is dependant on nothing and no one. God exists. He is existence. He is the source of life. He is life itself. He is the uncaused caused. He is the beginning and the end. He is the only God. He is.

***********

The religious leaders were ticked at Jesus. He continued to challenge them and point out their errors in thinking. They challenged Him, "Who are you?".

They ask Jesus for a name! Jesus' answer:

I AM

Jesus is the eternal One. He is the One. He is the source of life. He is God. He exists and He is existence itself. The religious leaders were so angry they picked up stones to kill him for blasphemy. They got the message.

God exists in the now. He is present with you now. He died for us and He lives for us right now. You have a friend now. He has infinite attention to spare for each one of us right now. He is not rushed.

Do:
Did you know that Jesus died for YOU? He is writing a story that you are a part of and He is not in a hurry. He is walking with you today. He is in the trench. He is here now.

I heard a great sermon this week by Dr. David Jeremiah. He made this one statement that stuck with me: God said He is the I AM. He did not say He was the I WAS so I cannot live in the past. He did not say He was the I WILL BE so I cannot live in the future. God said He was the I AM so I can live today with Him. He is. He is now. He is here. He is able. He is for me. He is God. He is my only hope for today.

Can that lead you to worship?


DevoLink: Devotions to help you Link with God.

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