Tuesday, 15 July 2008

• Testing God with a bouncing ball

  Response for Miss Magnolia’s Testing God, how to you explain to an 8-year-old that God doesn't always do the things we ask Him to do, like proving His existence, because our requests are out of selfishness and lack of faith. God does things for His glory and His glory alone. When we test Him and ask Him to prove His existence, it's not giving Him any glory. It's like we're almost commanding God to show His face because we are such selfish beings that we need this for our own happiness, even if it brings no glory to Him.... 

  Just the way you did - 8 years is old enough to begin grasping abstract thought, and to appreciate real honesty.  God doesn't answer to us, we cannot command Him, even under the guise of request or prayer.  Hearing this, and beginning to learn this, at 8 years old would help the young man along in his spiritual journey considerably.  He may not fully grasp the concept without some stories to lay it out, so perhaps start in the bible, reading the story of Balaam (Numbers 22) - explain how Balaam could acknowledge God, but thought by his actions and prayers he could change the will of God.  Address the heart condition for your nephew.
  
  God calls us to believe in Him as the true, omnipotent, unmanipulatable God of the Universe.  He wants us to step toward Him in faith, so sometimes He does not choose to answer our prayers with yes.  Or rather, as Paul explains, only when we align ourselves with God's desires, and our prayers join into His will, then He will give you the desires of your heart.  As our hearts become more and more filled with desires for His glory, then we will see more and more of those desires come to fruition as He does His will.
  
  You could introduce him to some of these scriptures to open more discussion, too:
  
  Those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.
  ~ Romans 8:5 ~
  
  Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart.
  ~ Psalm 37:4 ~

  This is by no means a complete scriptural list, but I would encourage you to pray with him and turn to the bible with him, to point him toward the Lord for these great questions he is sharing.  He will see where you get your hope from, and know where to turn to when he has questions as he grows.  Sometimes your answer doesn’t have to be too complex – just your confidence in who God is and your willingness to glorify Him will speak volumes.  J

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