God would never…
How would you complete that phrase?
Sometimes Christians define the limits of what God will or will not do. I appreciate that this is often a well-meaning attempt to protect orthodoxy or to preserve Scriptural truth, but God frequently colors outside of the lines that his people have drawn for him.
Job’s friends said God would never allow a righteous man to suffer as Job was suffering. They argued that Job must have sinned to deserve his terrible fate. Job acknowledged his misery, but he continued to trust in God and did not believe he was being punished for sin. Turns out that Job had the better theology.
The prophet Jeremiah had the frustrating and dangerous task of warning Judah of coming judgment. Popular prophets of the day were sure that God would never allow the destruction of Jerusalem or the temple. They were wrong.
First century Jews had sketched an outline of the promised Messiah. He would be a royal figure and would restore the political nation of Israel. And he most certainly would not have been from Galilee. God would never raise up a prophet from Galilee.
Jesus himself taught his disciples that he would be killed and would rise again. They said, “God would never do that!”
Oh yes He would.
These are some of the lines God has drawn for Himself.
In Christ, he will never condemn us.
His will never renege on his promises.
His righteousness will never fail.
His love is immense and unfailing.
His word will never pass away.
We are secure within the limits that God has given us, but he is under no obligation to stay within the lines we draw for Him. In fact, he seems to delight in exposing our lines as false limits on his power and authority.
Do you see God color outside of the lines that his people draw for Him?
“Then the Lord answered Job out of the storm. He said, ‘Who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge? Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me. Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand.'” Job 38:1-4
Connecting Dots...to God 
“We are secure within the limits that God has given us, but he is under no obligation to stay within the lines we draw for Him. In fact, he seems to delight in exposing our lines as false limits on his power and authority.” I love this, Judy!
I’m off now to find my eraser.
I love how you showed the things that God would never do, Judy versus some of the things that we might just decide He’d never do. You have me thinking .. you are so good at that! 🙂 Thank you and God bless you! Happy Mother’s Day too!
“…Do you see God color outside of the lines that his people draw for Him?…”
Yes, and many of those lines were drawn by me. Hopefully, I’ve learned by now that God is not a respecter of my theology.
Ha, I’ve drawn a few myself Larry! God is constantly surprising, isn’t he?