So what are we capable of doing?

January 21, 2009

Today's Reading: Genesis 41-42 and Matthew 14

Yesterday I covered why God doesn’t seem to intervene at certain times where we would like Him to. I believe that I came to the conclusion that it is not His job to do so. In other words, it might be necessary for us to do a little bit of legwork on our own. After all, why should God do all the work?

Of course, in living with an omnipotent God who is always over us, we always have to wonder how much power we really do over the grand scheme of things. I always think it is interesting that when Pharaoh asks Joseph to interpret his dreams, his first response is “no”. Now, that could have been a death sentence, because Joseph was already a prisoner, and to refuse a direct request from the Pharaoh might be seen as probable cause for more jail time.

As it was, the refusal was only so Joseph would put it into perspective. He then tells Pharaoh that only God can do the whole “dream interpretation” thing, and justly so. After all, it doesn’t sound like Joseph had it down to a science.

This makes the reading in the New Testament very interesting. It begins when one of the disciples brings up a very real issue. “It’s a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food”.

Apparently, there was no fast-food restaurants around, and Jesus wasn’t into charging high prices for ministry food. What is most notable about this conversation is that Jesus says “they do not need to go away, you give them something to eat”.

Now, could the disciples could have feed 5,000 with five loaves and two fish? Of course, they needed a little sprinkle of Jesus. And I think Jesus knew that.

It just so happens that there are two types of actions: natural and supernatural. Most of us are capable of perfectly natural actions such as walking, dressing and other such mundane things. However, anything in the realm of the supernatural tends to fall under a whole new diction, and we need God to provide for us.

So I suppose that makes life about some dual purpose of doing both natural and supernatural things. What’s interesting is how much we pray for perfectly natural things, and there is nothing wrong with that. I like the idea of needing God in everything, both natural and supernatural. When it comes to the supernatural, I will leave that one totally to God.