"The noise of this world is so great. But we have a choice. Who are you going to listen to?"
I have a thing for looking back and seeing how experiences in life connect. I like seeing the puzzle fit together. And last week was no different. This post is all about how Grey's Anatomy challenged God and how God answered three days later on Sunday morning.
I'm a big fan of Grey's Anatomy. I've watched the show since high school when my friend dragged me into this crazy universe that's now 14 seasons strong. I love the story lines they tell, the diverse spectrum of characters they showcase, and the honesty they can purvey without making you feel alienated. And last week's episode was no exception. It hit a chord that has been strum so many times for me as a Christian.
The title of the episode was "Personal Jesus" and it opens up with April (the religious/Christian doctor) telling us the story of Job. She tells of how Job was tested by God by making him lose everything (i.e. family, home, money, job), but when he proves faithful to God, God gives him double in what he lost. I didn't understand where this storyline was going at all and it didn't become clear until halfway through the episode. You see this episode was running four different patients' storylines at the same time. Patient 1 was a black kid who had been shot by white police because they thought he was breaking into a house which happened to be his own house. Patient 2 was April's ex-fiancé's wife, a loving Christian woman, who had just given birth to a baby. Patient 3 was a teen who had read the Bible too literally and had tried to cut off his hand when he kept sinning because of it. Patient 4 was a domestic violence abuser who had been badly concussed in a hit and run but survived, and his fiancée wanted to leave him and take him to court over his abusive actions. April was, at some point, in charge of all of these patients and everything seemed to be going well until it wasn't. Patients 1, 2, and 4 ended up dying and Patient 2 ended up not believing in the Bible anymore after April couldn't prove how exactly to interpret each line of the Bible if the Bible couldn't be taken literally as many metaphors are used. So at the end of the episode, April seems to have given up hope in God and explains the Job story from a completely different view. She tells us how now she thinks Job was punished for being a faithful servant. He ended up being the gambling piece in God's bet with Satan just so God could make a point. And Job wasn't actually given double in what he lost, instead he only gained a secondary family, PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) and a lot of unnecessary pain and sorrow. That's how the episode ends.
There's no way to explain in words how hard hitting this episode is unless you watch it. It tackles all of the biggest issues we are experiencing right now in our world, but it harps continuously on the question "If God is in control of everything and He is good, why does He let bad things happen?". And as a Christian, this question comes up A LOT. Why did an innocent black kid get shot by white police and end up dying? Why did a faithful Christian woman die after giving birth with no reason? Why did a teen who wanted to learn about God feel so conflicted by the Bible that he ended up giving it up altogether? Why did the domestic violence abuser have to die with no one knowing of his abuse when he should've been taken to court so he could pay for his transgressions in prison? All of these situations scream, "Where are you God?!?!".
Cue in last Sunday's church sermon. My minister preached about Mark 1:21-28 where "Jesus Drives Out an Impure Spirit". It's about how Jesus is teaching in the synagogue and He is doing so with such authority that people are amazed by Him. Then a man possessed by an evil spirit begins to directly address Jesus knowing that He is God by shouting out "What do You want with us?!" and "Have You come to destroy us?!". Then Jesus firmly tells the evil spirit in the man to "be quiet!" and "come out of him!", and the spirit is violently shaken out of the man. Everyone there is in completely shock and awe. They have no idea who Jesus is and what kind of power He holds that He could give orders to evil spirits and they obey Him.
My minister focused on this last point, and this is what I was reminded of. Jesus/God/The Holy Spirit has the most astounding authority in the entire universe. He can do absolutely anything you could possibly imagine in a snap of His fingers (or faster)! So every time you scream out "Where are you God?!?!", He hears you, and He has the absolute power to do exactly what you ask Him to do. But why doesn't He? Simply, it's not what is best. It's not the story that needs to be told. It’s not the lesson that needs to be learned. It's not the greatest plan He has in store for the world -- for you. With that knowledge, the responsibility now lands on your shoulders solely.
Are you going to listen to the Almighty God who has the power to control the entire universe with just a snap of his fingers OR are you going to listen to the doubt, evil, fame, power, money, tragedy, greed, injustice, lies, and shortcomings of the human race that have taken over the world?
Are you going to follow God OR are you going to turn to someone/something else and make the excuse that God has let you/the world down?
Do you believe that God can and will lift you above the fading securities of this world and into His loving embrace for eternity?
When I was a young Christian, I struggled with these questions, but now I have no doubts in my answers. Why? Because I know 100% that God is in control and that we live in a sinful world where a lot of bad things are going to happen. And those bad things are on us (humans) and Satan's evil plans, not on God. God just uses those bad things to help create good in accordance to His plan. Which, in turn, is the ultimate slammer for Satan. Isn't that just crazy?! Think about it. All you have to do is let God be the absolute authority in your life and you've crushed Satan! You can freaking crush the devil, himself, with only your trust in God! That's unbelievably amazing!! Glory to God in the Highest!
I chose, a long time ago, to let God take me on His brilliant journey for me. And it's been exactly that. A journey. Ups and downs. Forwards and backwards. Smiles and tears. Joy and pain. Success and failure. Excitement and tragedy. But I would never have it any differently. Just having God, the ultimate friend in life, with me this entire time has always made me feel so safe, loved, and sure that this journey with Him is worth every bit of everything He wants me to experience now and forever.
So, who are you going to listen to?
G.O.L.F.
p.s. Thank you so much to my minister, Rev. Kirk Summers, at Trinity Presbyterian Church York Mills for some amazing sermons as of late!
I have a thing for looking back and seeing how experiences in life connect. I like seeing the puzzle fit together. And last week was no different. This post is all about how Grey's Anatomy challenged God and how God answered three days later on Sunday morning.
I'm a big fan of Grey's Anatomy. I've watched the show since high school when my friend dragged me into this crazy universe that's now 14 seasons strong. I love the story lines they tell, the diverse spectrum of characters they showcase, and the honesty they can purvey without making you feel alienated. And last week's episode was no exception. It hit a chord that has been strum so many times for me as a Christian.
The title of the episode was "Personal Jesus" and it opens up with April (the religious/Christian doctor) telling us the story of Job. She tells of how Job was tested by God by making him lose everything (i.e. family, home, money, job), but when he proves faithful to God, God gives him double in what he lost. I didn't understand where this storyline was going at all and it didn't become clear until halfway through the episode. You see this episode was running four different patients' storylines at the same time. Patient 1 was a black kid who had been shot by white police because they thought he was breaking into a house which happened to be his own house. Patient 2 was April's ex-fiancé's wife, a loving Christian woman, who had just given birth to a baby. Patient 3 was a teen who had read the Bible too literally and had tried to cut off his hand when he kept sinning because of it. Patient 4 was a domestic violence abuser who had been badly concussed in a hit and run but survived, and his fiancée wanted to leave him and take him to court over his abusive actions. April was, at some point, in charge of all of these patients and everything seemed to be going well until it wasn't. Patients 1, 2, and 4 ended up dying and Patient 2 ended up not believing in the Bible anymore after April couldn't prove how exactly to interpret each line of the Bible if the Bible couldn't be taken literally as many metaphors are used. So at the end of the episode, April seems to have given up hope in God and explains the Job story from a completely different view. She tells us how now she thinks Job was punished for being a faithful servant. He ended up being the gambling piece in God's bet with Satan just so God could make a point. And Job wasn't actually given double in what he lost, instead he only gained a secondary family, PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) and a lot of unnecessary pain and sorrow. That's how the episode ends.
There's no way to explain in words how hard hitting this episode is unless you watch it. It tackles all of the biggest issues we are experiencing right now in our world, but it harps continuously on the question "If God is in control of everything and He is good, why does He let bad things happen?". And as a Christian, this question comes up A LOT. Why did an innocent black kid get shot by white police and end up dying? Why did a faithful Christian woman die after giving birth with no reason? Why did a teen who wanted to learn about God feel so conflicted by the Bible that he ended up giving it up altogether? Why did the domestic violence abuser have to die with no one knowing of his abuse when he should've been taken to court so he could pay for his transgressions in prison? All of these situations scream, "Where are you God?!?!".
Cue in last Sunday's church sermon. My minister preached about Mark 1:21-28 where "Jesus Drives Out an Impure Spirit". It's about how Jesus is teaching in the synagogue and He is doing so with such authority that people are amazed by Him. Then a man possessed by an evil spirit begins to directly address Jesus knowing that He is God by shouting out "What do You want with us?!" and "Have You come to destroy us?!". Then Jesus firmly tells the evil spirit in the man to "be quiet!" and "come out of him!", and the spirit is violently shaken out of the man. Everyone there is in completely shock and awe. They have no idea who Jesus is and what kind of power He holds that He could give orders to evil spirits and they obey Him.
My minister focused on this last point, and this is what I was reminded of. Jesus/God/The Holy Spirit has the most astounding authority in the entire universe. He can do absolutely anything you could possibly imagine in a snap of His fingers (or faster)! So every time you scream out "Where are you God?!?!", He hears you, and He has the absolute power to do exactly what you ask Him to do. But why doesn't He? Simply, it's not what is best. It's not the story that needs to be told. It’s not the lesson that needs to be learned. It's not the greatest plan He has in store for the world -- for you. With that knowledge, the responsibility now lands on your shoulders solely.
Are you going to listen to the Almighty God who has the power to control the entire universe with just a snap of his fingers OR are you going to listen to the doubt, evil, fame, power, money, tragedy, greed, injustice, lies, and shortcomings of the human race that have taken over the world?
Are you going to follow God OR are you going to turn to someone/something else and make the excuse that God has let you/the world down?
Do you believe that God can and will lift you above the fading securities of this world and into His loving embrace for eternity?
When I was a young Christian, I struggled with these questions, but now I have no doubts in my answers. Why? Because I know 100% that God is in control and that we live in a sinful world where a lot of bad things are going to happen. And those bad things are on us (humans) and Satan's evil plans, not on God. God just uses those bad things to help create good in accordance to His plan. Which, in turn, is the ultimate slammer for Satan. Isn't that just crazy?! Think about it. All you have to do is let God be the absolute authority in your life and you've crushed Satan! You can freaking crush the devil, himself, with only your trust in God! That's unbelievably amazing!! Glory to God in the Highest!
I chose, a long time ago, to let God take me on His brilliant journey for me. And it's been exactly that. A journey. Ups and downs. Forwards and backwards. Smiles and tears. Joy and pain. Success and failure. Excitement and tragedy. But I would never have it any differently. Just having God, the ultimate friend in life, with me this entire time has always made me feel so safe, loved, and sure that this journey with Him is worth every bit of everything He wants me to experience now and forever.
So, who are you going to listen to?
G.O.L.F.
p.s. Thank you so much to my minister, Rev. Kirk Summers, at Trinity Presbyterian Church York Mills for some amazing sermons as of late!