Totally Forgiving God – God’s Perspective

God’s perspective

Possibly my greatest insight in 25 years in London came when I saw the meaning of John 11:15; it is the reason Jesus didn’t heal Lazarus.
Part of the answer to the question ‘Why does God allow evil?’ is the answer Jesus gave to his disciples: ‘That you may believe’ (John 11:15).
Faith is an inestimable privilege; we will not always have the privilege of believing without seeing. Take full advantage of this moment.
When God does things for us he pleases us; but when he (apparently) does not do things for us it is our opportunity to please him.
When Jesus comes in the clouds and every eye sees him all will say, ‘NOW I believe’, but, sadly, this won’t be faith at work – only sight.
Mary and Martha blamed Jesus for his not healing Lazarus, but Jesus did not rebuke them or moralize them; he merely wept with them (John 11:35).
Jesus might have said to Mary and Martha, ‘Quit crying so I can raise Lazarus from the dead’; no, he simply wept with them (John 11:35).
God knows that we don’t know what he is about to do; he therefore weeps with us in our sorrow and disappointment.
When God does not answer our prayer – as he did not do what Mary and Martha wanted, it is because he has a better idea than ours.
Jesus shows that raising Lazarus from the dead was a better idea than keeping him from dying.
God wants us to know his ‘ways’; we soon learn that his ways are different and higher than our ways (Isa.55:8).
Moses asked, ‘Teach me your ways’ (Exod.33:13); it is possibly the most noble request we can put to God.
Setting God free (that is forgiving him) comes to the degree we get to know – and accept – his ways.
God lets unpleasant things happen to us partly to teach us his ‘ways’ – and to see if we will love him for being just like he is.

God’s perspective

Possibly my greatest insight in 25 years in London came when I saw the meaning of John 11:15; it is the reason Jesus didn’t heal Lazarus.

Part of the answer to the question ‘Why does God allow evil?’ is the answer Jesus gave to his disciples: ‘That you may believe’ (John 11:15).

Faith is an inestimable privilege; we will not always have the privilege of believing without seeing. Take full advantage of this moment.

When God does things for us he pleases us; but when he (apparently) does not do things for us it is our opportunity to please him.

When Jesus comes in the clouds and every eye sees him all will say, ‘NOW I believe’, but, sadly, this won’t be faith at work – only sight.

Mary and Martha blamed Jesus for his not healing Lazarus, but Jesus did not rebuke them or moralize them; he merely wept with them (John 11:35).

Jesus might have said to Mary and Martha, ‘Quit crying so I can raise Lazarus from the dead’; no, he simply wept with them (John 11:35).

God knows that we don’t know what he is about to do; he therefore weeps with us in our sorrow and disappointment.

When God does not answer our prayer – as he did not do what Mary and Martha wanted, it is because he has a better idea than ours.

Jesus shows that raising Lazarus from the dead was a better idea than keeping him from dying.

God wants us to know his ‘ways’; we soon learn that his ways are different and higher than our ways (Isa.55:8).

Moses asked, ‘Teach me your ways’ (Exod.33:13); it is possibly the most noble request we can put to God.

Setting God free (that is forgiving him) comes to the degree we get to know – and accept – his ways.

God lets unpleasant things happen to us partly to teach us his ‘ways’ – and to see if we will love him for being just like he is.

“Totally Forgiving God“