What if God has a sense of humor?
Well, I can’t say anything for certain, and yes, I realize it’s not very scriptural or academic — maybe not even all that mature — but what if God has a sense of humor? I kind of like thinking of the whole big God of the universe like that…
What if somewhere — wherever somewhere is — he’s watching us, witnessing our successes and failures, subtly and sometimes not so subtly cheering us on… always rooting for us? … always in our corner? He’d be in everybody’s corner!
What if, too, as he observes — desiring for us to fully learn and grow and actually become mature — what if he also takes note of those areas in each of our lives where we don’t rely on him, acknowledge him, or give him any credit? … and so he masterfully and creatively allows for circumstances to exist, giving us added opportunity to rely, acknowledge, and give credit? … giving credit to where it is due, dare I suggest?
Friends, I must first admit that there are many areas that I don’t fully rely, acknowledge, nor credit the God of the universe. Too often I take too much credit. If I were to go back in time, for instance, remembering one of my all-time favorite moments, I would share that when I won the Purdue University intramural racquetball championship, my first thought had far more to do with how good and talented I was — than acknowledging the One who made me good and talented. We like to think we’re so good, smart, and talented, and that thinking often obstructs the opportunity to know and rely on God.
So what if he has a sense of humor? And what if he uses that to teach us?
What if?
Again Tuesday night, the climate change debate arose. Actually, let me change that. There was no debate. In fact, the President’s exact words were: “The debate is settled. Climate change is a fact.”
I get that lots of scientists believe man is responsible for a perceived trend that the Earth is warming. I get that many members of the Democrat Party wholeheartedly also believe the trend (note: not all; Sen. Joe Manchin [D-WVa] did not join in with his likeminded peers’ prompted applause). I also get that a lot of people believe the trend solely because the Democrats sans Manchin & co. declare it as truth. I get, too, that still more refuse to believe it solely because of those who declare it as truth.
Let me again share: I don’t know if global warming/climate change/next-most-convenient term is true or not. I don’t know. I’m not a rocket scientist. And last I heard, Pres. Obama was not one either. My point, though, today speaks not to the arguable hubris of declaring the debate over, but rather: where is God in the discussion? Where is the reliance, acknowledgement, and credit to the God of the universe? If we are having a conversation about the planet’s possible warming, shouldn’t we submit ourselves to the One who actually created the planet? … the One who obviously would know far more than the rest of us? Friends, I have said this repeatedly. No conversation about whether the world is warming or not can be had without God as part of the discussion. What do the ancient scriptures say? … about the Earth? … about our need to care for the Earth? … and about any future end?
For those who believe solidly in climate change (and may actually be rocket scientists), they contend the Earth has warmed approximately 1.53°F in the last 130 years; they don’t have tons of data prior to 1880. Yet here with the Earth warming, the United States has experienced an unprecedented, freezing cold winter; it’s snowing in New Orleans!
Doesn’t God have a sense of humor?!
I mean no disrespect. I don’t know if climate change is real. What I do believe is that God masterfully and creatively allows for circumstances to exist, giving us added opportunity to rely, acknowledge, and give credit to him. When we omit him from the debate, maybe he gets our attention by allowing snow in New Orleans.
Just maybe.
Respectfully,
AR