Don’t Turn Away

In a recent conversation, it came up that the Lord had healed me of a very nasty allergic reaction just a few hours after I had stood in my bathroom and screamed at Him to help me, because I couldn’t take the plugged up head anymore, and I didn’t know what to do, and He just had to help me. So He helped me, and believe me, I’m very, very grateful that He did.

Until a few years ago, I would probably have been uncomfortable with the idea of screaming at God. I mean, that just isn’t done. As a good Christian, you should be willing to simply accept whatever the Lord dishes out, and never, ever object to any of it. Argue with God? Are you kidding?

Then the facts started coming in. Moses argued with God. Ah. Yes, so he did. According to the historical record, Moses talked God out of destroying Israel. Pretty remarkable, that. Abraham argued with God, in a similar manner, and almost talked Him out of destroying Sodom.

Gideon made a bargain of sorts-the now-famous "fleece" that we so often refer to when we want a sign from God. Job railed at God, and then Jude had the nerve to refer to Job as being "patient." Frankly, if "patient" describes the Job that I was reading about the other day, I think any of us can qualify.

Job, this man who wears the badge "patient," accused God of being unjust and unkind. In fact, Job said some very hard things that I might call coming close to blasphemous. Yet, for all that, when it was over, Job simply said, "I had heard of You, before, but now I see You," repented, and it was over. In His turn, the Lord did not scream back at Job or punish him for the things he had said.

King David, too, said plenty. "Why have you forsaken me?" he asked. He talked about his misery and about his helplessness, and in his heart he clearly wanted revenge on his enemies. And this was the guy who wears the title of "man after God’s heart." I really am thinking these guys aren’t as difficult to live up to as I had thought.

But think about it: throughout the prophets, what is the refrain? It is not, "You don’t sacrifice to Me anymore." It is not, "You are asking Me for too much, and you’re asking Me too many questions." No, what we read over and over again is, "You have turned away from Me."

That’s pretty simple. And that says to me that if I’m crying with grief or if I’m crying with joy, if I’m turned toward Him, He’s satisfied. If I’m shouting in victory or if I’m screaming in agony, if my eyes are looking at Him, He’s not angry.

Accuse Him, defend Him, or praise Him-whatever is appropriate at the moment. Scream, roar, whine, or weep. They’re all fine.

Just don’t turn away.

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