The Bald Goat

If we were to ask some questions about God I am sure almost everyone would agree on the answers. Questions like:

How powerful is God? He is omnipotent.

Is there anything God cannot do? No

But then I asked this question to a friend:

Could God do bad things if he wanted to? And he said no… but I thought God could do anything?

Stick with me before you begin gathering up stones! I think we imagine God as being a big old softy. He couldn’t hurt a fly! But this is contradictory to the Bible. Look at just a couple of passages:

But he stands alone, and who can oppose him? He does whatever he pleases. He carries out his decree against me, and many such plans he still has in store. That is why I am terrified before him; when I think of all this, I fear him. God has made my heart faint; the Almighty has terrified me. ~ Job 23:13-16

“Should you not fear me?” declares the Lord. “Should you not tremble in my presence?” ~ Jeremiah 5:22 

God is capable of instilling fear in the hearts and minds of man not because he is so powerfully good, but because his power is not limited by anything. He has the capacity to do good things and bad things. To tear down and to build up. And because of this limitless power our hearts are filled with the need to run and hide in fear.

And we would try to run in hide except we know the nature of God as well.

God is Love.

God is Good.

But God is not a Robot. I think of the movie i Robot when I think about this concept. The robots in this movie had been programmed to never do anything wrong. They were powerful and strong, but were limited because their programming would not allow them to do anything wrong. This does not line up with God.

He is not limited.

He has a choice. He can choose to do good or choose to do bad.

But because he is good and he is love, he does good and shows love.

Look at this quote from The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe from the Chronicles of Narnia series about Aslan (the God character):

“Safe?” said Mr. Beaver.”Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.”

God is not safe. He is terrifying because of his power and ability! But he is good and he is love. 

Lord thank you for choosing to do good. For choosing to look after me in ways I cannot understand. For choosing to love me and care about me.