What Is God for?

This is a question we all need to answer. We need to answer it not only with words but with our lives. Are you answering it with your life?

God is not a prayer mill. Yes, God listens and answers prayers, but we only look for the answers we want. We tend to proclaim “God didn’t answer” when He sends back some form of “no” or “wait a bit.”

God is not for long distance. I don’t think God cares for the occasional checking in, choosing the drive-through, not meeting His eye. A ton of us have this kind of relationship with God. This kind of relationship slides right by the nuance. It doesn’t respect God. It misses the one thing that, I think, God is for where we are concerned: our growth as human beings.

We have an idol. We’ve made a god, and this god is one who we can pray to and beg from and pretend like we’ll give our lives to, but we don’t mean it, and we sure don’t expect this god to stand with us in front of a mirror and ask us if we like what we see.

Do we like what we see? We probably shouldn’t.

If we’re nurturing a grudge, yelling at a waitress, calling names, making fun of someone, lying, criticizing destructively, we shouldn’t like what we see. And we have no idea what God is for. If we look down on any other, threaten anyone, participate in violence, or support those who do, we shouldn’t like what we see. And we have no idea what God is for. If we are racist, sexist, homophobic, or regularly dismissive of other human beings, we shouldn’t like what we see. And we have no idea what God is for.

God is for each of us becoming more than who we are now. God is for each of us growing. God is for each of us peeling away what makes us small people, and, my God, we are small people.

Let’s be big. Let’s realize what God is really for.

Reflection

If God stands with you in front of a mirror, what might He want you to zero in on? Do you realize how freeing, exciting, and meaningful this work with God can be?

Prayer

Dear God, I’m not who I should be, who I can be, with Your grace. May I take my relationship with You seriously. May I see You as You are and not how the christianity of the public square paints You. You are demanding, and it is a thrilling demand. You expect far more from me. May I be willing to realize in my life what You are really for. Amen.