The Christian Life in my Estimation (Pt. 4)

Nehemiah 9:22-25

God lavishes the people of Israel with things far beyond anything they ever deserved. He gives them land, multiplies their children, riches, vineyards, orchards, and food so that the people became fat and delighted themselves in God’s great goodness. Things, gifts upon gifts he gave to them.

Christian look at your own life, what has he not given you? You own life, and breath; you have shelter, and by that I mean a house, a nice house, not a box in an alley. You have clothes with which to array yourself, and friends with which to surround yourself. You have a car that drives you further in an hour than many would travel in a lifetime. How many of us in this room worry about our next meal?

You have had things lavished upon you, things which most of the world would never know. Each of you is royalty in your own right by the historical standard. This is nothing more than the sheer mercy and grace of God that you were born where you were born and to whom you born to.

More than that we may learn about anything we desire! A book can be on our phones, and seven novels can be under our arm. The ability for us to know more than any before us is completely at our avail. We are, indeed, without excuse to be ignorant of the mercy of God.

See these beautiful things and worship your God! Grow fat in the delight of the Lord.
This brings up an interesting note: Often when pain comes flying around the corner of our lives like a freight train out of control we say, “God is big enough and good enough to handle our pain while he sustains us through the trial.” And indeed he is big enough to sustain us through pain and be in complete control of the trial we are dealing with.

But in the sentence of God being able to handle our problems there is an inferred ability for us to be able to handle all the good in our lives. So here’s my question: If we are unable to handle the bad circumstances in our lives what makes us think we can handle the good circumstances? What about our lives shows us, humans, as being competent enough or reasonable enough to be able to deal properly with happiness?

The reason for my questioning is I have never heard anyone say, “God is big enough and good enough to handle my happiness (whatever the joy may be); no one has ever said to me, “God is big enough and good enough to handle my engagement, my new job, my newborn, my love, my family, my friends.”

If God can handle the bad things in life, the things that drive us to our knees, which cause blurred vision because the tears are so thick and forced breathing because weeping is difficult, if he can handle those times… surely he can handle our joy and happiness.

I am compelled by the passage to say that we, as believers or unbelievers alike, are unable to handle our happiness in a proper fashion.