Articles
A “Restraining Order” Against God
A brother in Christ and I have a mutual sense of humor when it comes to the ridiculous. He sent a text this morning concerning an Israeli who went to court requesting a restraining order against God! It seems he had suffered several actions of turmoil in his life over a period of several months, and blamed God for these troubles. As Israeli law requires the presence of both the defendant and complainant in such matters, it was “impossible for the court to determine if God was indeed present, and simply using His right to remain silent.” Eventually, the case was dismissed as “ludicrous.” (You think?)
How silly it is for mankind to think he can “control” God! The apostle Paul speaks to this reality when he writes, “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counselor? Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.” (Rom. 11:33—36) Yet, again and again we see evidence of mankind endeavoring to pull God down to the level of selfish man!
How often do we hear (or perhaps offer the plea ourselves), “God will understand.” Since when do we make God to reason our way? Such a plea is at best a feeble attempt in finding some “justifiable excuse” to sooth our guilt when we know we’ve chosen something of this life over the greater choice of God! John Gill, once an elder in the Lord’s church at Shawnee, OH, (Perry County) defined excuse as “the skin of a reason stretched over a lie.” The fact is, we do have choice: sometimes those choices press pretty deeply into the lusts of our flesh, eyes and pride of life and create a false vision of “justifiable sin” on our part. Do we really want to plead that kind of a ludicrous case before the eternal Judge? I think not!
When will man finally accept God’s truth about His direction for our souls? To Isaiah His prophet God said, “Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” (Isa. 55:6—11) Notice His thought are higher than our thoughts; His ways are not our ways; His word will not return to Him empty, but shall accomplish its purpose! It is our duty to ascend to His directives; not to bring Him to ours!
Seemingly, there are several who wish to “restrain” God in other ways. Most simply choose to ignore Him and His commandments. (Yes, they are commandments — 1 John 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. The word “invitation” is not found in Holy Writ, especially in the realm of obedience to God’s Word!) Others “restrain” Him by not trusting Him as they should: we call it “faith.” For example, they just don’t trust Matthew 6:33 or Hebrews 13:5—6; through they sing, “Leaning on the Everlasting Arms.” They’d rather “be sure and get it for themselves,” instead of putting God first and allowing His promise to prove itself. I suppose they think the same about eternity: they’d rather just go find their own crown rather than serve God acceptably with reverence of godly fear (Heb. 12:28) and await His granting of that eternal diadem (Rev. 2:10; 2 Tim. 4:7—8).
Actually, there’s nothing “humorous” about ignorance or blatant stupidity, including the ludicrous notion that someone could actually seek a court ordered restraint on God! Equally so is the thoughts of those who continue pushing God away as though He doesn’t care about their eternity; or becoming so calloused to God and His Word as to think themselves immune to its decrees toward those who do reject Him (2 Thess. 1: 7—9). Rather than restrain Him from their lives, they should embrace Him with all vigor and realize there is never a greater comfort, security, Provider or Protector than the Almighty! (Heb. 13:5—6). We all need God and the gospel which is able to save our souls — but only if we obey Him and His word! Let’s stop being silly, ludicrous and stupid — let’s be obedient instead!
