A Convenient God

The temptation by the devil is to have a convenient God. A God that you can manage, manipulate and make demands of, so your life is the best life ever, according to your desire for pleasure.

Of course, who would not desire pleasure? No healthy person desires pain and hardship. However, the athlete and faithful disciple of Jesus know that there is no gain without some pain. The athlete will put up with pain and the denial of some luxuries of life to train his body, mind and will to win. He looks forward to the pleasure and sense of accomplishment of winning or completing in the race or his or her sport. So, it is with the disciple of Christ. The Bible says of Jesus, “looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2). The athlete takes the long look and so does the wise and faithful disciple of Christ. There is great joy in serving God here and there will be great joy for the faithful disciple here on earth and in heaven.

God created us to share His joy with us. This is what is said to the faithful person in Jesus’ parable of the talents, “Enter into the joy of your master” (Matthew 25:23).

It is the wise and mature person who can defer pleasure for a much better return later on. There are consequences for all our actions or choices not to act. This is also the truth taught by Jesus in the parable to the talents. (Matthew 25:14-30)

A person works hard and saves their money denying them things so they can go on a nice tropical vacation in winter with their loved ones. In like manner Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” (Matthew 16:24). We are not just denying ourselves because we love Jesus or want to honor Him, we are denying ourselves because of the greater reward up the road. If we are not primarily motivated by love for Jesus or honor towards him, it is best if we are at least motivated by the goal of the long-term result of denying ourselves because of the greater joy set before us, in relationship to Jesus, in service to Him and in eternity. This is what the Apostle Paul said about His devotion and service to Jesus, “I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14).

Do you have a convenient God, here for your use to enhance your life and make it easier? Is He a miracle working God at demand? Is He expected and thus demanded to answer your prayer petitions in your timing and in your way and if He doesn’t you will punish Him by ignoring Him, so He will learn to be more accommodating? This is the kind of God that Satan wants you to have. He always misrepresents God and presents huge misconceptions of God. Let us not join the devil in these lies.

Jesus said, “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Matthew 7:13-14). The gate is narrow and difficult, however, this path has far more worth it than anything the world can offer. This is what the Apostle Paul said about the benefits and joy in loving, trusting and serving Jesus, “Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ” (Philippians 3:8). We can waste our life or make in count with Jesus. All life might amount to a lot of rubbish in heaven if we just live for ourselves and not God. It would be sad if in heaven we were not recognized by Jesus for our faithfulness.

This is what the Bible says about those with little investment in the cross of Jesus. For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building. According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. 11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire” (1 Corinthians 3:9-15).

To bear little fruit is a dangerous place to be. Have we really been converted by God’s majestic hand within? Jesus said “You will know them by their fruit. (Matthew 7:16, see also verse 10) Again God’s word says, “Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things, you will never stumble” (2 Peter 1:10)

How can we be a faithful disciple of Jesus? We must make room for Jesus in our life, much room. We need to spend quality time with Jesus in reading and studying the Bible and be a person of prayer. We need to also be transformed outwardly and inwardly but cooperating with God in the interior life. To be a disciple means to be a learner. We should be growing in grace and knowledge of the Lord and there are many resources to grow and God has people provided that also assist you. We add to one another’s life is God’s plan. We also need to make prayer a lifestyle. We need to identify with Jesus publicly by being baptized and joining a local church where you can be in community and learn and contribute and serve. We need also to develop a life with a evangelistic focus and share the gospel with as many people as possible and also walk with people and disciple them in the Lord. This comes when we know the gospel backwards and forward and know how to explain it to others in a way they can comprehend, sticking to the main truths.

God may not be convenient but He is very good and wants the best for us and that best does at times involve much effort, sacrifice and even suffering, but the end goal is more than worth it.