When we think that we know better than God

One day last week I was a passenger in a car being driven by someone who shall remain nameless.  We were heading for a local supermarket, and were approaching the car park.  The driver of the car indicated to turn right into a row of parking bays.  I casually mentioned the fact that this row was guarded by two "no entry" signs, but although the driver acknowledged their presence, she (oops, that's narrowed it down a bit!) was of the opinion that they could be ignored if it would mean that we reached a parking bay sooner than if we'd obeyed the no entry signs and gone round the long way.

On this occasion it was a perfectly safe manoeuvre, as no-one was coming the other way, but it did get me thinking...

The Bible is a fascinating account of God's relationship with human beings.  What the Bible tells us is that God didn't create us to be like robots, programmed to obey the Creator's commands without question.  Instead, he gave us the incredible gift of freewill.  He gave us directions for living, which he said would always be for our best.  But God knew, when he gave us freewill, that there was a chance that we would use it choose to ignore his directions and decide that we know better than God.

In one sense, the Bible is the story of history repeating itself many times.  Men and women decide that they know best, go off in their own way, make a mess of things, call out to God for help and forgiveness, God responds and offers forgiveness and sets them back on the right path.  But very soon they again come to believe that they know best etc. etc.  Yet God is so gracious and patient with us!

There are those who say that the concept of God is old-fashioned, and that even if God exists he is not relevant to our lives.  When I hear that, I just have to think of what life on earth would be like if we human beings lived, for example, according to the 10 commandments (in fact Jesus boiled it all down to just two: Love God and love others).  The world would be transformed instantly!

As the old saying goes, "For the best results, follow the Maker's instructions!"  We may not like all that God says, but his commands are only for our good.  We can choose to go his way or our own way, but choices have consequences.  My experience is that when I have chosen my own way rather than God's way I have sooner or later discovered that God's way was best!