Thanksgiving For Thanksgiving
I always carry my cell phone when I travel. Because I work from home, I rarely use this phone and have often thought of cancelling the service. But, because I like to have it when I’m out of the house, and especially when I am away at conferences, I have held onto it. Yesterday afternoon was one of the rare occasions that I’ve travelled without it. The charger disappeared a few days ago and the battery soon went flat. I had to drive across town (about one hour each way) to visit a car dealer and have him put a price on my van. And so I set off without my phone.
As I was making my way home, zipping along the area’s busiest highway, I heard a strange sound and thought to myself, “I hope that’s not my car.” I looked around and couldn’t see any other vehicles close enough to me that it could be anything but my car. Within a couple of seconds the car began to shake and then it began to vibrate so strongly that it became a chore to hold it straight. It did not take long to realize that I had blown a tire. It just so happened that I was on a bridge at the time and one that had no shoulder. I threw on the hazard lights and crept along, driving one three tires and one rim. Trucks, cars and buses were honking and swerving to avoid me on the slick, rainy pavement. But finally the bridge ended and I was able to pull over. While it was really my only choice, I could hardly have picked a worse place to stop. I ended up parked in the middle of a triangular area right where two major highways converged. Cars were tearing by on the right and the left, joining the flow of mid-afternoon traffic. I had no phone, it was pouring rain, and this was definitely no place to attempt to change the tire. I knew no passerby would stop, for there simply was not a good place to do so.
And so I did the obvious thing. I said, “God, I’m kind of stuck here. I’d really appreciate it if you’d send along a police car or a tow truck. It would be a long, dangerous, wet walk to a phone, so I’m just going to stay here and wait for you to send help.” And that’s what I did. With cars hurtling by on both sides, I sat and looked expectantly out the back window. Sure enough, it took only ten or fifteen minutes for a tow truck to show up. Handily, it was a flat bed truck, for it would have been very difficult for him to get behind my van to tow from the rear. Equally handily, it was a CAA truck (CAA is the Canadian chapter of the American Automobile Club) and, since I am a CAA member, the towing would not cost me anything. Within five minutes he had hoisted the van onto his truck, secured it, and pulled back into traffic. He had a good laugh at me, saying that I really could not have picked a worse spot to break down. He even took the opportunity to call his manager and laugh about it.
I asked him if anyone had called him or if he had just happened by. “No,” he said. “I just dropped someone off in Georgetown and decided to take the side roads back. But then I changed my mind and figured I’d take the highway just to see if anyone out here needed a tow.” Imagine that.
This really isn’t much of a story. I was never in great danger and really only suffered a couple of hours of inconvenience while waiting for the tires to be changed. But as I was sitting in Wal-Mart, munching on a McDonald’s burger and wondering what the tires would cost, I thought back to my reaction when the tow truck showed up. I realized I had blurted out, naturally enough, “Thank you, God” as I saw the truck turn on his lights and pull in just ahead of me. I was not the least bit surprised that the truck had shown up and had shown up quickly, for God knew I was in a tight spot and I had asked Him to provide for me. He seemed glad enough to do so. “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
It soon occurred to me that it is really only the privilege of the Christian to be thankful. I spoke about this with a friend of mine who is ambivalent about the possibility of God’s existence. I asked her how she would feel in a similar situation. Would she be thankful? And if so, to whom would she express thanks? Without God we can only believe in fate or karma. No one offers thanks to fate. Fate is nothing. It is impersonal, directionless. No one asks anything of fate and no one thanks fate. I could be thankful to the driver of the tow truck, and I was of course, but who was it that so ordered things that he was returning from Georgetown just at that moment? And how was it that he changed his mind and decided to take the highway home rather than the faster back roads? Surely not fate, chance or karma. The God who knows the number of hairs on my head is the same God who took care of me yesterday. And I am thankful.
My expression of thanks was natural. It was really just an outpouring of the faith God has given to me. It was an expression of worship to the God who proved again yesterday that He is in control. Where there was faith-based expectation, thankfulness naturally followed. I was filled with thanksgiving for thanksgiving. I was filled with thanks for the ability and the privilege of giving thanks. God is good to provide and is good to allow us to thank Him for His provision.
Comments (36) »
1. Andrew
August 4, 2006
11:49 AM
Tim, funny you should experience this, on Monday, I had a similar experience where God intervened, though with somewhat more of a dramatic sitution, had my passport stolen in Benin West Africa, crossed 2 borders to get to Ghana, got blocked in Ghana and then did a Brother Andrew crossing about 40 mins drive north all in 14 hours!
I have never felt so much on the edge than I did this day…..but looking back every step when it was revealed in the journey was a certain step…complete assurance.
2. stevel
August 4, 2006
11:49 AM
Interesting post. I came upon your site from a Christian site and don’ t you. Let me say that I think your day was interesting and something truly to be thankful for. But I am a Calvinist and I don’t believe that “things just worked out” or “God sent an “angel” in the form of a tow truck driver” or anything like that. We do not control our thoughts or actions, much less anyone elses. Life is similar to fate, but we use the term “predetermined”. Your car problems yesterday were predetermined to happen a billion years ago. Nothing in the course of history could have made yesterday change. Nevertheless, you can be thankful that billions of years ago the tow truck arrangements were made.
3. WES
August 4, 2006
12:11 PM
Sovereign, faithful, sweet…rain, replaces the cell phone.
good one, tc.
wes
4. Thabiti
August 4, 2006
12:14 PM
Tim, What was the response of your friend who is “ambivalent about the possibililty of God’s existence”?
Thabiti
5. Ellen
August 4, 2006
12:19 PM
Tim, did you tell the two driver that you had prayed for him to come along?
I’ve had an experience very much like this, but have been on the giving end - right after telling my kids that God puts us in people’s path to give glory to Him, we passed a couple in need of engine coolant - and we “happened” to have a gallon in the back of our van. We told the couple exactly what we had just told our kids.
6. Mike
August 4, 2006
12:35 PM
SteveL:
You seem to know a lot about these things, being a Calvinist and all.
Could you tell my why God predetermined, a billion years ago, for me to “miss” when I went to the bathroom a few minutes ago? Or why God would predestine me to ask you this question right now, in the exact way He did? And why did God, a billion years ago, predetermine me to think evil thoughts? Is it just part of His nature to make us think and do evil?
I would really like to hear the reasons for such things.
7. Mike
August 4, 2006
12:38 PM
Tim:
I hope my comment above was not too caustic, abrasive, or arrogant. I am quite sincere about hearing SteveL’s understanding of these things.
8. Tim Challies
August 4, 2006
1:11 PM
“What was the response of your friend who is “ambivalent about the possibililty of God’s existence”? “
Ambivalence. We had a good chat, though, and one that I hope will lead to others.
stevel - I’m not sure if you even read the article I wrote. Why not try reading it again to make sure you understand what I was saying.
“Tim, did you tell the two driver that you had prayed for him to come along?”
No. Sadly I realized yesterday that I had not done this.
9. David B. Hewitt
August 4, 2006
1:23 PM
Awesome testimony, Tim. Thanks for sharing it!
10. Diane
August 4, 2006
1:32 PM
Thanks Tim for sharing that! I have been worried about a medical appointment I need to make for my daughter… I “forgot” how I can call out to God with my concern and then sit back and watch Him answer my cry of help to him. Before I wrote this comment, I, this time, prayed with confidence and assurance that my almighty God is handling this for us. in addition, it is indeed a kindness of God and evidence of His grace in us when we are “naturally” thankful to Him! Thank you God for making us thankful! :) Thanks for a great post, Tim!
11. Brian
August 4, 2006
2:25 PM
I’m glad it worked out for you the way it did, Tim.
I’m curious how you would have responded had a tow truck or emergency aid not shown up at all, and left you to either a) change the tire in the rain and traffic, or b) make a long hike to get help? Would you (would any of us) still have thought to thank God for providing for us?
You stated ” I was not the least bit surprised that the truck had shown up and had shown up quickly for God knew I was in a tight spot and I had asked Him to provide for me.” God certainly does continue to provide for us the in most unfathomable manner. It may not however, be the response we desire or expect.
I have known you for years I trust you don’t believe God responds to our beck and call in the way we see fit. However your post does appears to be a bit misleading.
Just my two cents…
B
12. Rey
August 4, 2006
2:36 PM
Can’t a guy give thanks for giving thanks anymore? yeesh. I’m glad I’m not famous. heh heh
13. Tim Challies
August 4, 2006
2:45 PM
“I’m curious how you would have responded had a tow truck or emergency aid not shown up at all, and left you to either a) change the tire in the rain and traffic, or b) make a long hike to get help? Would you (would any of us) still have thought to thank God for providing for us?”
I expect God would have taught me something else that would have led me to praise Him. I find that the more I reflect on life, the more I find to be thankful for.
The fact is that God would somehow have provided for me. Maybe it would have been through a long, wet walk in the rain. I guess I wouldn’t have been surprised either if a tow truck had not shown up. I am not meaning to say that I had faith that a tow truck would show up…only that I had faith that God would somehow resolve things.
I could “what if” from now to eternity…and sometimes I do just that. But I know that God will always provide one way or another. Even what appears to be lack of provision is seen to be providential in the end.
14. Mike
August 4, 2006
2:57 PM
I think you would agree that, regardless of whether you had asked or not, the tow truck driver (or, as we say in Texas, “the toe-truck driver”) would have showed up anyway. And, being who you are, you would have given thanks to God even though you hadn’t prayed for His intervention.
Most of God’s activity in our lives, I think, is a result of “answered unprayer.” Thankfully, He doesn’t wait for us to ask for everything!
15. SteveL
August 4, 2006
3:08 PM
Mr. Mike,
You raise interesting questions that no human can answer. All I know is that things are predetermined, but as to the “why” I have no idea. It is God’s prerogative. Maybe God determined in the scope of your learning that today would be a good day to learn more theology so that’s why it was predetermined billions of years ago for you to be on this website today. Maybe if you hadn’t “missed” in the bathroom today you would have left your house 5 seconds earlier and subsequently had a car accident earlier today? That’s a question I can’t answer.
16. Tim Challies
August 4, 2006
3:15 PM
“…it was predetermined billions of years ago…”
While we are arguing about matters of theological precision, we should probably affirm that “billions of years ago” is no closer to the truth than “yesterday.” God predetermined matters in eternity, and hence before time.
17. Robbo
August 4, 2006
3:29 PM
“Maybe it would have been through a long, wet walk in the rain. I guess I wouldn’t have been surprised either if a tow truck had not shown up”
I find that to be my “theology” in similar situations and I do not think it is a lack of “faith” but rather a trust in God and “all things working together for the good…” We pray and ask for God’s intervention in a specific situation and we expect a certain outcome but we should not loose the big picture. And we give thanks in all situations. Tim’s testimony rings true for me because I have found myself audibly giving thanks to God for “minor” things.
Andrew, please clarify. You defied an intransigent Immigration Officer and made an illegal entry into my country of origin Ghana? I perfectly understand why you had to get in but I am not so sure it was Divine intervention ;-)
18. Andrew
August 4, 2006
3:54 PM
Robbo, you are presceptive, but I said each step was certain. And glad you understand the context. Even though neither the context nor the action help right the dilema, I was still grateful and thanking God.
Question: When God allows/determines (whichever is you view) an “illegal” (in the eyes of man) act, who do we thank. Or should we not thank?
19. SteveL
August 4, 2006
4:19 PM
Good point, Mr. Chillies. Time is a human concept and God deals in eternity. I suppose I mentioned billions just to have something to grasp in terms of conversation.
Here’s another human analogy that might explain it better. George Bush was predetermined many many years ago to be the president of the US. Even back when he was a hard drinking party guy who they used to roll up back into his room at night he was still the future president. Because he came from the Bush family, his Yale, Skull & Bones and other Eastern Establishment connections, everything was predetermined and nothing would stop that. On the other hand, if Joe Schmoe from Iowa who got good grades, got into a good college and was a natural leader had apsirations to be president it still wouldn’t have mattered. Try as he might, he wasn’t one of the “elect” (or bluebloods or whatever term you want to use) and nothing he could do would change anything in the presidential elections. So just like it was predetermined for Bush to become president, regardless of the surrounding circumstances, it was also determined for the tow truck driver to be there at the right time.
20. Tim Challies
August 4, 2006
4:28 PM
“So just like it was predetermined for Bush to become president, regardless of the surrounding circumstances, it was also determined for the tow truck driver to be there at the right time.”
Of course it was. But we cannot know how or why all of these things work together. So we continue to trust in God’s providence and marvel when we see it worked out.
21. Jerry Morningstar
August 4, 2006
5:00 PM
Great story Tim. I think you show how a Calvinist can believe in God’s sovereignty over the affairs of life - and use that as motivation for prayer in an hour of need.
Steve L - I don’t think I would compare God’s sovereignty to fate Fate is arbitrary and aimless. The sovereignty of God is purposeful and for the good of His children - and to His glory. It includes the heartfelt prayers of His people in accomplishing His purposes
Perhaps if Tim didn’t pray - it may have been God’s plan to let him sit for two more hours in the rain?
22. Brian Thornton
August 4, 2006
5:23 PM
It soon occurred to me that it is really only the privilege of the Christian to be thankful.
Tim, Is it not possible for an ubeliever to be thankul for the common grace he receives from God. After all, the same rain that falls on a believer’s farm also falls on the farm of the unbeliever.
Just a thought.
23. Mike
August 4, 2006
5:43 PM
SteveL:
I find, in your brand of hyper Calvinism, an easy way to escape personal responsibility or accountability for anything and everything. If we “do not control our thoughts or actions,” as you say, then I can pretty much do anything I please since it’s all been predetermined in eternity past. My plea before God? “Your predetermination made me do it.” How can He argue with that? My sin is His fault, after all. For Him to hold me responsible would be unjust.
If all that you say is true - which actually has more in common with Islam’s “the will of Allah” than Christianity - then I don’t see how God can justly reward believers at the bema seat one day. It would be a mockery of His own justice. Furthermore, if you are right, then Jesus lied to us in deny some of the parables He told about each of us having personal responsibility for what we do with the gifts, talents, and opportunities he provides for us.
You have pushed your theology of God’s omniscience, omnipotence, and predeterminative powers to a logical but unbiblical position. God is not the author of evil, whether that evil is in my thoughts or actions; sinning is “missing the mark” (at least, that’s the meaning of one Greek term) and when I “missed” in the bathroom, I sinned. So God predestined me to sin so I could avoid an accident?
Your logic leads inevitably and heretically to God predetermining evil so that good may come. Such logic is not biblical and makes a mockery, too, of much of God’s interactions with and commands to human beings. Why tell me to do the good when He’s already determined that I will do the evil? Your depiction of God makes Him capricious, cruel, and not the God of the Bible.
24. Mark Tubbs
August 4, 2006
5:47 PM
Hi Tim - thanks for the reminder to be content in whatever situation we find ourselves (Phil. 4:11). It’s interesting that it has morphed into a theological discussion; I am trying to resist entering the debate except to recommend A.W. Pink’s chapter on Human Responsibility in The Sovereignty of God from Baker Books - I’ll go ahead and give a blanket recommendation of the book while I’m at it.
A pastor once relayed his understanding of how God’s predestination and the actions of humans interact. At the most basic level, he said that as he lives daily, he seeks to honour God in all his thoughts and actions. And when he looks back on his life (whether yesterday or fifty years ago), he can see the unfolding of God’s sovereignty through providence.
Guys, I don’t think it’s all that helpful (and we are supposed to be edifying each other in love, even on a blog, am I right?) to take a glib tone about God’s predestination and foreknowledge. We should instead turn to Ephesians 1 in order to properly perceive the weightiness of these things. Crass comments about missing the toilet and the like are at best lacking chivalry and at worst demonstrating a failure to adequately apprehend God’s holiness and otherness - which is well nigh impossible at the best of times.
Well, Tim, I failed to resist the temptation to comment. Thanks for serving us all.
25. Mike
August 4, 2006
6:45 PM
Well, I see I have offended the domesticated nice guys once again.
Sorry, but I sometimes think the approach of OT prophets - running around naked, cooking with manure, making “crass comments” and/or using glib (actually it’s sarcastic, not glib) tones - is necessary sometimes to get through to people.
If that makes me as “unholy” as the OT writing prophets, I guess I’ll have to live with that.
I’ll leave y’all to your polite conversation and tolerance. Sorry if I gave offense; not sorry for any offense taken.
26. Brendt
August 4, 2006
6:58 PM
Two thoughts:
1) An exchange on ALF: Lynn: There’s a tow-truck in the driveway. ALF: I didn’t order any toes.
2) Brian (#22) is headed in the same direction that I was thinking when I read that statement. While a person may not have accepted Christ, I don’t think that necessarily relegates his attribution of good things in his life to fate or karma.
Thankfulness is a privilege, and the Christian has the ability to best recognize why and to Whom he is to be thankful. Sadly, though, I have encountered some professing Christians who have a lot worse handle on grace than some non-Christians.
27. Brian Thornton
August 4, 2006
8:52 PM
Good comments, Brendt. I would still like to hear what Tim has to say about this, seeing as he made the statement that it is only the priviledge of the Christian to be thankful.
It reminds me of Sproul’s very simple description of four types of people in the world:
I think there can be some out of any of these groups who can be thankful to God, whether it is for their salvation (the believer), or even if it is for a good report from medical tests (even if this person is unsaved and knows it).
Isn’t it possible for that person who is not a believer and yet is fully aware of that to be thankful to God for the common grace bestowed upon Him from the Creator?
28. Greg in Colorado
August 4, 2006
9:53 PM
In Romans 1 Paul clearly states that people “suppress the truth in unrighteousness, did not glorify Him, nor were thankful.” Later in chapter 3 Paul states “there is none righteous, no, not one…they have all together become unprofitable.” In chapter 5 Paul reminds us that apart from Christ, we are enemies of God.
My two cents…I think it is possible and happens that people may give thanks to “God” for common grace (as expressed in a variety of ways) BUT, what does God really think about it?
Thankfullness that is pleasing to God can ONLY come from those who have been reconciled by the blood of His Son. So, it is only the privilege of the Christian.
Thank you Tim for your post!
In Christ, Greg
29. Jerry Morningstar
August 4, 2006
10:19 PM
Mike - you said: ‘Your logic leads inevitably and heretically to God predetermining evil so that good may come. Such logic is not biblical’
Don’t be too sure with that:
Acts 2:23 - in reference to Jesus - ‘This Man, delivered up by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death.’
The cross was God’s predetermined plan - even the though it involved the sinful actions of moral creatures who nailed Jesus there. God used it to accomplish our salvation.
Also in OT - Joseph told his brothers who had wickedly sold him into slavery. ‘You meant it for evil - but God meant it for good.’ [Gen. 50:20]
i.e. - Joseph recognized the mysterious hand of providence behind the events in his lives - God brought him to Egypt to deliver many lives in a famine - even though he was brought there thru the wicked acts of his brothers
Perhaps nobody can say it better than Westminster
‘God, from all eternity, did by the most wise and holy counsel of His own will, freely and unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass: yet so, as thereby neither is God the author of sin, nor is violence offered to the will of the creatures; nor is the liberty or contingency of second causes taken away but rather established.’
30. Mike
August 4, 2006
11:04 PM
Jerry:
I believe that the plan of His sacrifice was predetermined and according to God’s foreknowledge, but not necessarily the means, i.e., the actual way it transpired. There was never any question or doubt that Jesus would be sacrificed, but how that would occur was not by God directly causing evil that good might come. Our Father used the evil of man to bring about Ultimate Good, but He is not the Author of evil. And so says your creed.
All I am saying is that God is not the direct, effective cause or source of evil. How could He maintain His holiness if that were the case?
31. Brian Thornton
August 4, 2006
11:16 PM
All I am saying is that God is not the direct, effective cause or source of evil. How could He maintain His holiness if that were the case?
True…but He DOES ordain whatsoever comes to pass…including each individual sin that we commit. He is SO sovereign that He can even stop us from sinning if He so chooses:
Then God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know that in the integrity of your heart you have done this, and I also kept you from sinning against Me; therefore I did not let you touch her.
32. pilgrim
August 4, 2006
11:57 PM
Tim’s comment- “So we continue to trust in God’s providence and marvel when we see it worked out.”
Amen—and that’s a privelege of the believer. Even though we know we didn’t cause it to happen with our prayer—God uses our prayers.
33. Jerry Morningstar
August 5, 2006
7:48 AM
Mike - I appreciate your concern. I too do not think it is right or biblical to consider God the author of evil. God’s sovereignty is no simple matter. However - when we look at the biblical data - it is there. Brian’s verse on Abimelech is a great example. There you have God - not standing by and saying, ‘I can’t interfere with the free will of Abimelech’ - but jumping in and saying, “I will not let him touch Abraham’s wife”.
I think you can come at this a little bit from the back door. Is there any person on this planet who God could not stop in their tracks in the midst of their sin - by sending them a heart attack or aneurism, etc? No - we see that He is sovereign over those areas. So when a sinner sins - In some sense or other, God has chosen to permit that sin within His sovereign purposes in that He failed to prevent it - which He is capable of doing. [Mere permission does not give the full picture but it’s a good place to start] Is He the author of sin? Absolutely not. Jonathan Edwards compared God’s sovereignty over sin being like the relationship of the sun with darkness or cold. It is not the sun that causes darkness - but the absence of the sun leads to darkness. If God withdraws his hand of grace - sinful man will choose sin. A modern analogy compares fallen man to being like a car out of alignment - if you remove your hand from the wheel - what happens?
BTW - I’m not offended by your crude analogy. My father once threw a similar analogy at me. His quote: ‘You’re not one of those Calvinists who thinks that God ordains every time you [use the restroom].’
There is a rather interesting biblical account along those lines. In I Samuel 24:3 - Saul is pursuing David in the hopes of killing him. David and his men are hiding in a cave - and Saul has to make a pit stop or relieve himself [NASB]. He ‘just happens’ to go into the cave where David and his men are hiding. David - in character refused to kill Saul but did cut off part of his robe. Later - he showed Saul the evidence that God had delivered him into his hand but he did not kill him. It was God’s purpose to put Saul in that situation so he could be confronted with the truth that David was a righteous man and he was acting wickedly by chasing him.
‘Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!’
Someone recommended - A.W. Pink’s book - ‘The Sovereignty of God’ - that is an excellent treatment of the subject
Also R.C. Sproul - ‘The Invisible Hand’
34. Mike
August 5, 2006
11:39 AM
Thanks, Jerry. I’m not denying God’s sovereignty or omnipotence; I’m just trying to keep them in biblical boundaries.
Your use of Abimelech, btw, actually proves too much: if it was predetermined that Abimelech would not violate Sarah, then why did God have to intervene?
There is a tension in Scripture that we would do well to leave alone. Call it a mystery, if you will. But, being Westerners, we feel entitled to and have a need for answers to everything. As you say, God’s ways are not our ways and some of His ways are beyond our comprehension. Like this balance of God’s predetermination, the fact of sin, and our responsibility.
The older I get, the more Christianity is about living with the questions and not thinking I have the answers. Oh, there are answers for the important things - Christ’s nature, salvation, creation, and other essentials - but some things are beyond our capabilities. Living with the questions stretches my faith.
I’m not saying to be lazy about studying - I spent five years getting two degrees from seminaries - but only to know when you’ve reached the edge of our ability to know. I like that. That it upsets other people is not my problem; rather, it’s my mission! :)
35. Jerry Morningstar
August 5, 2006
9:53 PM
Mike - I agree - all believers will have a degree of mystery to their faith this side of heaven. I’m glad you are comfortable living with the questions. I think we all have to do so to some extent. Who would ever dream we as finite individuals could exhaustively grasp the ways of the infinite, all powerful God? That would be utter folly.
It seems to me - God’s predestination or ordaining of events does not exclude His activity in time to bring certain things about. Nor does it exclude the use of prayer to bring Him glory and build the faith of His saints. The Scriptures are filled with what we might call God’s interference in the affairs of man. The angel letting Peter out of jail, God enabling Sarah to conceive in her old age, protecting her from Abimelech, etc.
Predestination - if we grasp it properly - will not make us passively resigned to all of life. Rather - we will pray - we will work - we will seek - we will trust - and we will recognize that in the end God’s will is ultimately done.
It’s one thing to say that whatever God predestines to occur will occur. It’s an entirely different thing to know what that will of God is before it plays itself out. We are constantly in the position of not knowing. That is the tension I believe we are called to live with. That tension or mystery makes life exciting and challenging and calls forth our faith and trust on a daily basis
36. Mark Tubbs
August 5, 2006
11:14 PM
Hi Mike -
Don’t be so sure that you offended this ‘domesticated nice guy’ - simply because I admonish according to Scripture doesn’t mean I’m offended. I know my own shortcomings only too well, and the temptation to unthinking sarcasm ranks very highly. Ephesians 4:5, in keeping with the title of Tim’s post: “Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving.”
While I do think you went a little too far in your reaction to SteveL’s comments, I agreed wholeheartedly with the tenor of your argument and would not have been able to phrase it as eloquently. I was only doing my part to moderate the tone of the back and forth somewhat. Tim’s comment area can get a bit testy and we’re all each other’s referees (in Tim’s own words, “like it or not”). That’s the nature of Christian e-fellowship.
Take care.