The Divine and the Human

Why are so predisposed to defend what violates our selfish concepts of God? What makes us feel as if we need to protect God when we can’t explain Him? When I hear someone say, “I don’t want that person to lose confidence in God because of what has happened,” it causes me to realize how misdirected our efforts are in some of our Christian representations.

Joshua 7:1-26 gives the detailed events surrounding the actions of Israel’s inexplicable God. Something completely unexpected has happened. God has displayed the audacity to allow Israel and Joshua to be in the position of defeat and utter embarrassment. They have lost the first battle at Ai. Some of God’s people have lost their lives at the hand of the enemy.

How could an enemy that God has already declared defeated, hurt, kill, and devastate Israel? Joshua struggles with how this might appear to everyone. Joshua believes it would have been better to stay on the wilderness side of the Jordan, rather than been in the promise land and not be able to explain God because of their loss. He even goes so far as to suggest that the disappointment at Ai could hurt God’s great name in the earth! Have you ever asked God why? No, I don’t mean so you could truly understand what God’s purpose was through your tragedy. I am talking about the “Why” you ask when you are embarrassed by events that fail to support your proclaimed faith in God. You know the questions we throw in the face of God when we know what He said, we’ve told others, and then God let’s us down by not following our expectations.

I’ve got a simple message from God for you. You are not God! God is not you! This might be a good time for you to distinguish between what is divine, and what is human. What are God’s defined responsibilities, and what are yours. I can hear the Holy Spirit saying to you, what God said to Joshua at the deepest depths of his personal pity party, “Get up! Why are you lying on your face?” God has never needed you to help His credibility stay defensible. HE IS GOD - YOU ARE YOU! Please don’t get these mixed up.

God has a very distinct purpose for your life. Yes, He has made you many promises. He has made those promises to you from the vantage point of an eternal perspective, His destined purpose for your earthly journey, and the pre-eminence He enjoys as God. He alone is God. What God expects from you is humanity. The only thing that interests God about you is your humanity. God is completely comfortable with the fact that you are who you are.
Distinguish what is divine, and what is human. Let God be who He is, and you be who you are. He is not creating scenarios for you to defend Him. God is looking for ways to show Himself strong on your behalf.