God Is Obvious

It’s been a while since I last blogged.  Over the weekend we’ve been looking at houses and it has been a whirlwind and a rollercoaster all at the same time. (and I don’t like rollercoasters)  I can’t think of anything in my life that can be so exciting for one moment and completely discouraging the next.  I can’t imagine going through this process without a confidence that God is not only real, but also has our best interest at heart.  Without that confidence, I would be a wreck right now.  God’s hand on our lives has been so evident over the years that anybody with a brain could see and know that God is real.  


Paul in these verses takes it a step further.  He states that anyone who is a witness to creation can know that God is real and is without excuse.  Here’s what he says.

Romans 1:18-23

¹⁸The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, ¹⁹since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. ²⁰For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.

 ²¹For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. ²²Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools ²³and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.

The message of Jesus Christ is hope, but in order to really appreciate the hope and joy that the message of the gospel offers, we need to understand the alternative to surrendering our hearts to Christ.  God’s hostility towards sin doesn’t come from an emotional response to our disobedience.  His nature doesn’t allow for a tolerance of sin.  Paul is pointing out the problem with idolatry.  When we attribute things of God to men or things, we are being ignorant. 


Christians fall into this trap too.  When we receive a blessing of any kind, we give credit to ourselves, other people, and even luck or coincidence.  When I was first starting college, I had a bill from my school that was $1,800.  I had $1,400 saved and had no way of coming up with the extra cash.  I received a letter in the mail two weeks before school started that the scholarship I was receiving was increased by $500.  I’m ashamed to admit that my first response was to consider that development good fortune rather than recognizing God’s provision.  Now I look back and so clearly see that God met my need. 


It’s easy to say God is sovereign but to really believe that fact to the point where it changes your life can be difficult.  It’s really our selfishness that blinds us to the reality of who God is.  When we choose to put ourselves first and choose a life of sin over what God has for us, we blind ourselves to the work of God in our lives.  Frankly, to give credit that is due God to anyone else is idolatry. 


If we take the focus off ourselves, we will be able to see the evidence of God in our lives and the world around us.  Let’s give God the credit he deserves.  Look for ways that God has touched your life and acknowledge them publicly.