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So when dealing with skill and will, it would be good to understand that the “skill” is the how and the “will” is the why. This is especially important when we consider the concept of motivation, whether it be self or others. For if we concentrate singularly or primarily on the “skill” we can find ourselves fomenting frustration, dissatisfaction and even descent within ourselves and others especially over time. You see the “will”, the why, is the lasting foundation, the driver to sustaining the application of the skill. Don’t assume the will is there, that the why is known. The time that is focused on the will, the why, will be time well spent building the necessary foundation on which the skills, the how, can be developed and executed.
Yet you do not have because you do not ask……..(James 4:2)
Then those who went before him warned him that he should be quiet; but he cried out all the more “Son of David, have mercy on me!” (Luke 18:39)
We have a hurt that has been with us all our lives; it may be physical, it may be spriitual or even both. We have a dream that is laid on our hearts and it seems so close that we can touch it. We are working so hard, making our plans, yet there it remains just out of reach.
We may find that we question: “Why do I hurt?” “Why do I feel this way?” “Why can’t this happen for me?”
Or we may find that we curse: “I hate this thing” “I hate this (fill in the blank) it is never going to happen. I hate this life, and many other things
Yet note in the first, questioning is not the same as asking. And even cursing can lead to something but if I or you do not go beyond the curse then nothing will come of it.
A blind beggar sat by a roadside. That he existed until this point meant that some people at some point had taken pity on his condition and he given him some things but he certainly wasn’t prosperous. He could not see but he heard a commotion. It does not appear that he cursed the commotion at not being able to see it but if he did; he did not stop there. He asked and was told Jesus was walking by. Again he could have cursed his condition that he could not see Jesus or even see to be able to make it through the crowd to get to him. But again if he did, he did not stop there. The scripture tells us he cried out to Jesus.
Then the world intervened. The world in the guise of people standing around him, did not support him or help in any way; in fact the opposite was true. They started to talk back to him and maybe even curse him; telling him to be quiet and stop making a distrubance. Again he could have cursed the world and stopped; but he didn’t
The scripture tells us he cried all the louder; loud enough for Jesus to hear him and then ask for the man to be brought to him. Notice how quickly the world changes in this case. Those who just a minute ago were berating the man for his insolence to be crying out to Jesus, now tell the man to be of good cheer; for the Jesus has heard him and is calling for him. And Jesus heals his blindness.
The man had plenty of opportunity to stop before he got to his healing. In fact he might have never even started in the first place.
But how do we know that Jesus is listening to us? How do we know that we will be the lucky one? The scripture tell us. Think if there is ever a time that when faithfully asked, Jesus turns a person down. A Roman Soldier, a poor woman, even a gentile after Jesus initially says His time for her is not yet, relents when her faithful, humble answer shows her heart.
Jesus promises it and that is the most important source of all. In John he clearly states, those who love me and keep my words, ask whatever they will of me and I will do it that My Father may be glorified.
We must understand; the world does not put a premium on asking for help. It is a sign of weakness. We like the self made person, pulling themselves up by their bootstraps, pointing to their own hard work and persaverence as the reason for their success. The world cringes when it hears “I first want to thank my Savior Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father”. Like the crowd they say shut up, you’re making a commotion.
The world makes it easier to curse. Yet remember Jesus overcame the world and this is the most important part. He overcame it not for himself, for he started out greater than the world. He overcame the world for us. That we may have a Saviour to call upon who knows us and will hear us and not be slow to answer.
So find a time today to ask. Ask: not why not but for. Ask in faith and know that it was heard. That the world can not drown it out and in faith to the Glory of God our Heavenly Father it will be answered.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. Provers 1
By the title you might think that this is discussion of Why God does things. That is not the case. The question here is why God at all.
That is we humans tend to believe that we are the dominant species on the planet. That because of our ability to have knowledge and use that knowledge to modify our environment in amazingly diverse ways (whether it is braking into the soil to grow specific food, channelling and daming rivers to divert water, creating devices which are the size of a couch, yet can devistate for miles and kill thousands).
Through our powers of observation of other life forms around us, I have never heard that we believe that any other animal or vegitable has any social construct that remotely resembles human’s religion. Now if we think in terms of longevity, there are animals and plants whose genus and species have been around much longer than homo sapiens, yet none have ever seen see turtles pray. So the argument that it is necessary for survival would seem wanting.
So, we who are the most complex believe in overwhelming numbers in a higher power. It would not appear to be instinct. We appear as a species to have the ability to gain knowledge far beyond what it takes for our survival. We read, we discuss, we postulate grand ideas which will not today or tomorrow bring more grain to our mouths or security to our lives. Again no other species seems to have that capacity in the variety of ways that we do.
So knowledge, fear, wisdom and God. How do they relate? Simply as a species we know that there is more to know. We strive to find out. At the same time we also realize that to know all is not within the possible reach of anyone and that is when wisdom comes in. The proper striving for knowledge of value. As we strive to know and understand it becomes clear as we observe the incredibly complex, immensely powerful, and interconnected processes that there is one who knows it all. That there is that ability within the universe with the knowledge to truly know it all brings with it unimaginable power; which brings about an awe filled reverence and yes fear because, while we don’t understand the ability to know everything, we do understand that the one who does has the ultimate control.
Falsely, cultures have tried to manufacture their own intities with that power and they bowed down to their gods but to no avail or difference.
So what is God to do but to in the only limited way that we can understand make his presence known. Yes through natural processes, but also through words and thoughts but it is not His thoughts that are limited it is our ability to comprehend which makes them seem so mysterious. In our selfcenteredness, we chafe at the thought that we completely lack the ability to know on God’s level so we rebel and try to substitute our limited knowledge for His. We believe we know better who should live where, who should have what resources so we fight on small and large scale to impose our imperfect will.
And what would be the only way to bridge that gulf between that is perfection and those who only believe they are perfect but truly aren’t. To come down and dwell among them. The unfathomable thing is when God came down, it was not to destroy, not to show His power in slaughter and oppressiveness. Alas, that is what we humans would expect Him to do.
No He came down in meekness and in the True Power that is the very essence of His Being and Reality. He came in Love. A Love designed to take away the barrier of our imperfect knowledge through His Perfect Sacrifice. How could not one look toward that Love with a awesome reverence and then contemplate how I personally reject that so often and feel a dread at my own actions. That is fear.
Why God? All creation and wisdom points to Him. That given our propensity of destruction on our own, that we still exist, cries out to His Mercy and Grace. That He Loves me, yes who He created, yet His creation so often fails Him, yet He came down and died for me, just to show His Love, begs my imperfect love in return.
May all through faith, seek the wisdom to come into God’s Love through He that came down and sacrificed all, Jesus Christ. Amen
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