Written by Evi Idoghor
Have you ever wondered why people would attribute their successes or a “answered prayer” in the form of a fulfilled dream to the universe rather than God? People are more at ease saying things like “the universe will open doors for you,” “speak it to the universe,” and “when the time is right, the universe conspires to make things happen for your good.” The universe, the universe, the universe—everything else but God.
The concept of "universe" as it relates to a supernatural being is not new or novel. This concept was used by Paulo Coelho, the author of the best-selling book The Alchemist, which was first published more than 30 years ago. And I presume that he wasn't the first to make the connection between the universe and its supernatural tendencies. So, while this is not a new concept, it has made its way around over the years, and has now become part of our everyday terminology.
Lately, I've been pondering why people don’t just replace the universe with God. At the very least, they believe in a higher power that is working or can work to make things happen. So, what's the big deal about refocusing their attention on God rather than the universe? Well, I believe it's because God comes as a package deal, and some of the contents of that package are unappealing to people. When I go to a fast-food restaurant and order a meal, I often tell them to take out the drink because I don't drink soda. I had a full-fledged argument with the server the other day because I wouldn't just take the drink. I wanted everything else in the package except the drink.
When God calls you, He requires you to give up certain practices in order to live the fullness of life He has called you to. In fact, it necessitates that you die, that is, abandon your old ways and embrace a new way of thinking, speaking, and acting. He infiltrates every aspect of your life, making you uncomfortable with the things you used to enjoy that He has termed sinful.
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And this is what people are unwilling to put up with. They are in love with a life without restraint. Embracing chaos on one hand, while tightly clutching to sin in the other. The universe does not have a set of guidelines for how people should live their lives. It does not forbid them from sleeping with multiple people or someone who is not their spouse (Hebrews 13:4). It doesn’t have a set definition and purpose for marriage and procreation (Matthew 19:4, Malachi 2:14-15). It doesn’t prohibit them from worshiping any other god, or holding no belief in God at all (Exodus 34:14). It doesn't define their sex and (or) sexuality (Matthew 19:4, Leviticus 18:22) or instruct them on how to respect their father and mother (Exodus 20:12).
It does not instruct them on how to spend their hard-earned cash (Proverbs 3:9). It has no definition for sin and makes no judgment on it. It remains silent, like a child who has been abused, taking in everything that is thrown at it. Watching as its occupants lose control, unable to fix it because, like the people who inhabit it, it is simply a creation of the God they refuse to acknowledge.
Romans 1:21 puts it this way, “For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him…” 25 says, “…because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.”
The universe did not give us life. The universe cannot save and did not die for the sake of the world, God did (John 3:16). Living a life without boundaries, rules, and guidelines will lead to destruction rather than freedom. Take a parent for instance, they set boundaries for their kids to protect them, not to tout their freedom. True freedom is found when we live within the boundaries that God has established for us.
He knows what is good for us because He created everything. As a loving Father, He understands the value of rules and, if broken, the need for discipline, because that is how we learn and grow as people, setting great examples for those who come after us. Awe and admiration for the things we see around us should not lead us to worship them; rather, the deep sense of beauty we experience as a result of God's handiwork should lead us to worship Him.
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