God’s Nature

Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. [Phillipains 2:12-13]

"If I Were God"

April and her friends often met at the ice cream shop after school to talk and hang out and have fun. Their parents didn’t mind because the ice cream shop is near the elementary school and they could pick them up there. Today they were all excited about the discussion they had in history class when the teacher was talking about the presidents of the country. After they had their lecture and video the teacher had a game called “If I were president” where everybody said what they would change if they got a chance to be president.

“Well that was a fun game all right.” April said as she slid into the booth at the ice cream shop after school. “But if I were president, I would spend all my time on stopping wars.”

“Not me.” Ginger interrupted. “In fact, I would need more power than just a president has to get what I want. I would have to be God. Yeah, that’s a better game. What would you do if you were God? I know what I would do. I would make sure there was never any more mosquitoes. Ewww I hate those things.” She laughed.

“Well if I were God, I would get rid of all the governments and have one government run by me.” Susanna said staring off into space. “And if anyone didn’t obey, I would just wipe out their country. That would put an end to all the wars and that stuff.”

Just then, April’s little brother Stevie walked in which meant their mom had dropped him off and would be back shortly to take April and Stevie home. Stevie was seven years old. He sat down and listened to the game.

“I think if I were God, since I would have the power to do anything at all, I would first stop all the sickness and old age and bad storms and earthquakes so people all over the world wouldn’t suffer so much.” Added Kimberly who always had a soft heart for suffering people.

“Well I don’t know. It seems to me that if everyone was a believer, we wouldn’t have so much trouble with sin so maybe if I were God, I would just force everyone to be a believer and then there would only be one world religion.” April said daydreaming about how that would be.

“Don’t you think God would do that if he could, April?” Ginger said.

“But God is all powerful, I wonder why he puts up with lost people and just doesn’t wipe them off the face of the earth in one wave of His hand and end all the sin and killing and awful sins people do.” April responded knowing she was unsure of what she was talking about and trying to remember if the answers to these questions had been covered in Sunday school.

“Well my uncle was lost until he received Christ last month. If God had wiped all the lost people before that, he would have gone to hell but now he is going to heaven so I am glad God didn’t do that and maybe that is why he is waiting.” Ginger said emotionally because she loved her uncle and all of her family.

“Well if God had forced your uncle to get saved before he wiped out the rest, then he wouldn’t have gone to Hell.” Susanna added.

“I am glad God didn’t force me to get saved. When I gave my heart to him, I wanted to. If he forced us, it might be like when mom and dad forces you to clean your room. You do it but you resent them for pushing you around. I don’t think God pushes people around.” Ginger said.

“Well he could if he wanted to.” April reminded everybody.

“You know what I think God would do if he was God?” Stevie suddenly interrupted and everybody laughed because of how he said that. “I think he wouldn’t be all bossy and make anything change but I think he would come down from heaven and become a human so he can save the lost people because he created them to be his family and I know mommy and daddy would do anything to save us if April or I were lost. They would even give their lives to save ours.”

Everybody stopped talking and just stared at Stevie. He may not have even known it but he hit on exactly what God would do to save his children.

“Not only is that what God would do Stevie,” said Kimberly, “that’s what he did do.”

“What do you mean? I was just playing the game.” The little boy wondered.

“She means that is what God did, when he came down as Jesus. He gave up His throne and all of His powers and all of His kingship to become a poor human baby. Then he grew up here and became a teacher to teach us about Heaven. And then he went through everything we go through so we know he understands it all. And then he let people kill him so we could be h is family and then he rose again to take us to heaven.” Kimberly continued.

“Wow, I feel foolish for thinking He would do anything else. I should have known that.” Ginger said softly and humbly.

“Me too.” Susanna added looking down at her ice cream. “Stevie how did you know all that?”

“Well,” Stevie said not knowing he had said anything smart at all. “I do listen in church and Sunday school.”

“Well girls,” April laughed. “Sounds like we need to do less gossiping and flirting and giggling in Sunday school and do some listening.”

“Yeah April.” Susanna agreed. “Then maybe we won’t find ourselves being shown up by a seven year old about how God really thinks and feels about things.

April and Stevie’s mom came and they went home to think about the conversation but Stevie walked out feeling about seven foot tall because he learned something about God and it was right.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. [John 3:16-18]