When I was a young and talented 11 year-old, I sang a song called “If’n I Was God,” from a musical adaptation of Tom Sawyer. Apparently Michael Jackson also sang it, but I’m sure my version was better.
I can think of a lot of things I would change if’n I was God. I guess we can all relate to that. We certainly give God plenty of advice on how He should be running things.
Most of our requests are just selfishness. “Please let this car start! Give me this promotion. Send rain for my garden. Keep rain away from our picnic. Shut the neighbor’s dog up. Let this be the winning lottery ticket.”
But there are also some requests that sound much more noble. “Help our church grow. Expand my ministry. Help my spouse love me more. Keep my kids healthy. Help me find a good husband, and start a family.”
What we are really asking for … is that things work out the way we want them to.
What we DON’T seem to be asking for… is God’s will! What if he wants my church to be small? What if He wants my ministry to be local? What if He wants to use my broken relationships to impact others? What if He wants to use my illness to minister to other people with similar illnesses? What if He wants me to remain single or childless?
We all want recognition for what we do. We want others to hold us in high esteem. But what about God? Do we care what HE wants?
There was once a man who followed Jesus throughout His ministry. He was there when John baptized Jesus. He was there when Jesus taught the crowds, and healed the sick, and fed thousands and raised the dead. He was also nearby when Jesus was betrayed and crucified. And he saw the resurrected Christ, and heard His final teachings, and saw Jesus ascend into heaven. But he wasn’t one of the Disciples.
His name was Joseph. He is only mentioned in the first chapter of Acts, when it was time to replace Judas Iscariot,
who had killed himself. Joseph was nominated to replace Judas, as was Matthias. They cast lots, and Matthias was
chosen to become one of the Twelve.
So what about Joseph? Never mentioned again. Passed over by God to become one of the Twelve. What would our
reaction have been? “Why, God? I wanted to be part of the Twelve… I wanted a bigger ministry… I wanted that
honor and respect… I’ve worked hard for it… I deserved it.”
God knew what Joseph had done, and that was enough. My guess is Joseph accepted God’s will.
So what about us? Is it enough that God knows what we do? Is being honored by God more important than being
honored by people? Is being used by God more important than getting that promotion? Are we willing to let go of
the things of this world, even our families, for the sake of God’s Kingdom?
For most of us, the honest answer is “no.” But until we surrender to God’s will, our actions, our
accomplishments — even our relationships — are meaningless.
So are we ready to follow God? Not advise God, not tell God what we want, but follow God?
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and
follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.”
— Matthew 16:24–25 (NIV)
Todd Beale is minister at Community Christian Church in New Palestine. This weekly column is written by local clergy members.
