Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” (Gen. 3:1 NIV)
Trouble begins in the garden when the inhabitants go from talking to and with God and start talking about God. God remains accessible, even “walking in the garden” (3:8). Yet rather than taking their concerns and anxieties directly to him, they begin to talk about him. It’s the hairline crack that soon develops into a Grand Canyon between creation and Creator.
We often talk of the objectification of people. The way women are objectified–treated as objects, less than human. Sometimes we do the same with God. We objectify God. We treat him as an object to be examined and investigated and debated rather than as a personal being with whom we are to engage.
The psalmists, and Jesus, model a different way. The reveal that even in our darkest moments, even with our doubts and despair, it’s far better to go directly to God rather than to debate about God (e.g., Matt. 26; Ps. 88).
What questions are you wrestling with today? Take them to God.
Prayer: Thank you Father, for being big enough to handle my worries, my anxieties, and all the questions I have about who you are and what you do. Thank you for letting me bring everything to you.
Action Step: Make a list of 2 to 3 things you’ve been wondering about God; 2-3 things you’d ask an “expert” on God if you could. Now, raise those questions with God himself in prayer today.
