Are You Hurting God?

Apr 14, 2020

Good Morning Fellow Travelers,

Read: Genesis 6

And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. (Gen 6:6 NKJV)

God is not limited by our lack of ability to understand Him. Just because sinful humans cannot see Him with their physical eyes doesn’t mean that He is a static being immobilized somewhere far out beyond space. Nor is He just another weak-kneed being looking for authority in order to lift himself up. A person cannot take God to court or sue Him because He does not operate according to his or her liking.

No. God is all knowledge and is all powerful. Our finite understanding doesn’t come even close to understanding all about God. We know only what He has revealed about Himself in nature, in the Holy Bible, and in our consciences.

God is a living being. All living forms come from God since He IS Life. God has always been that life-giving Being. He created the universe, from the largest of the stars and planets to the smallest of living organisms. He created mankind in His own image. No, God is not static or immobile. He is the epitome of life and is very much involved.

Since God is Spirit no man can see Him and live. We can see much evidence of His existence and presence, but we do not see Him in his fullness yet. There are many who would like to see God now and blame Him for their problems or suffering. A man once told me that when he gets to stand before God on judgment day, he will set God straight for all the seeming injustices of this life.

No. You and I cannot reach God to hurt Him as we might our fellowmen. But did you know that you can still hurt God? What about when He sees us abuse our spouse, or child, or fellow employee? How about when we break God’s law that He has given to us for our good? Have you thought how it makes God feel when we misuse the earth that He has given to us to care for?

It grieves God when He sees man’s rampant violence and unbridled lust. It hurts Him when the humans He created in his own image take their own way and willingly fall into the devil’s traps and temptations. When men and women begin to kill each other and even, God forbid, kill their unborn it grieves God at His heart.

If humankind breaks the laws of God, it grieves God since the law is directly connected to God’s character and His desire to bless humanity. For example, God is holy, so He calls us to flee lust and immoral acts and be holy as He is holy. When we are unholy it grieves him.

After creation, God commanded mankind to procreate, to care for the earth, and to take dominion every living thing on earth. When we disobey these clear commands, it grieves God.

Man has sinned against God and brought about the gulf between God and man. Even though this sin hurt God He has reached down to help us. God’s Son, Jesus, became a man and offered Himself as a sacrifice for the sins of humanity. Jesus was the perfect example of pleasing his Father.

You can learn how to please God by studying the Bible and by allowing Jesus to help you avoid doing those things that hurt God. He is also pleased when we share this good news with others.

~ Harold R Troyer