God is not a tin soldier waiting for my petty commands.

Sunday, April 24, 2016 Rio Grande, Tierra del Fuego

Scripture reading:  1 Sam 28 - 29   Psalm 109   Matt 11

S=Scripture  O=Observation  A=Application  P=Prayer  SOAP for the soul.

S.  Ps 109:4 In return for my love they are my accusers, But I give myself to prayer.

Vs 8-10 Let his days be few, And let another take his office. Let his children be fatherless, And his wife a widow. Let his children continually be vagabonds, and beg.  NKJV

O.  David has been treated badly by the ones he loved.  He has not responded with actions, but with prayer. However, his prayer is filled with bitterness against his accusers.  He pours out his complaint before God.  But now he starts telling God how to handle this situation instead of leaving it to God’s own perfect discretion. 

A.  Have I ever complained to God? Absolutely. I cannot deny it. I might even be guilty of telling God how to handle the situation a few times. It’s a good thing that God does not answer all my prayers with, “Yes sir, right away!” He is not a tin soldier waiting for my petty commands. He listens to my words and knows my heart even when I am silent. But He does not submit to my feeble judgment.  He is God and I am only His creature.  He knows best and I dare not forget it.

I was sitting in a restaurant yesterday. I could hear a little child screaming at his parents demanding things he wanted. His whining was ugly and his lack of respect for his parents was obvious. I surmised that his parents had trained him to whine and scream and almost always to get what he wanted. How does one create a spoiled brat?  Give him what he is screaming for. He will shut up for a few minutes until he wants something else. Well, God does not respond well to those who scream their demands at Him.

P.  Lord, I am listening for Your instruction. Here again is King David as my mentor. He has done well to pray instead of striking back.  But You, our wonderful God, are not obligating Yourself to answer his bitter prayer. Thank you, Lord, for not answering all my foolish prayers. May I always trust Your judgment and rest upon it.  Amen.

Ralph