Arts and Life
A Transactional God?
By DrJarlath Uche Opara
Fatherhood is something that comes with responsibility, care and unconditional love.
The story of the prodigal son clearly shows how forgiving, loving and caring the love of Father can be.
Are there things you have prayed to God but yet to get which your earthly Father would effortlessly give you?
Are there things you have prayed for, though gotten which your earthly Father would have given you without you asking for them? Why pray, fast , give arms etc before you could get answers from God?
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
9 “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him (Matthew 7. 7- 10)
How relatable is the above scripture to you? Have you had course to question the reliability of this scripture when it mattered most and you needed to breathe, but the air wasn’t coming?
Is God transactional? Is he a trade by barter God? Who gives according to the measure he is given to ? A God that operates on give and take? Whose blessings, favors etc are ignited and motivated by ones goodwill and godly disposition?
This scripture on my mind. “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” (luke 6.38)
When you listen to gospel preachers, expound the bible, what impression do they create around God? One that sits on the throne with a piercing eyes, looking for who to punish? One who would deny one favour and blessings over some human weakness, slides, frailties, failings and weakness? Who blesses based on the measure of ones giving?
Do they create that feeling of a caring and loving God, whose love overwhelms the shades of human imperfections and treates them with no less a love ?
What the preachers of the gospels have told us about God and what we know about our earthly good fathers, who among the two is more loving, caring, compassionate and ready to come through for one without looking either at ones faults or expectating something in reciprocation for granting either ones spoken or perceived needs?
I went through school, each time I was to go back my Dad would give me all I needed to make my stay stressless. All I needed to do was to make a presentation of my list of needs, no begging, no importunation, no crying, no midnight, no fasting etc. He knew his responsibility and never allowed himself to be begged before he did it.
Am I the only one that had this thought running wide and crazy in his mind? Am I thinking differently from others?.
What manner of earthly Father would watch his child wriggles in pains, though has the power to grant relief, but remains unmoved until he cries and pleads for help?
What manner of a father would allow his child to remain scorched by the sun and drained by the rain, searching for job when all the conglomerates are in his hands? Am I the only one thinking differently?
The truth is , God is deeper than our minds, our critical thinking etc. To our futile, fragile and limited mind, it may sound reasonable. Beyond this, is a deeper mind of God, no human mind can fathom..So relax and follow God, in him is the way that leads to the Truth that gives life.
God! For all the prayers one thinks he should have answered which he didn’t, he remains still God, whose mercy, love, faithfulness, benevolence etc diminish the best described and projected earthly father. His thoughts are different from ours and however we try to understand it, it remains unfathomable.
To those who are under the excruciating pains of illness, who thought the compassionate nature of God would brought healing instantly. To those crushed and smeared by poverty and lack,who thought the loving nature of God would have sorted it out effortlessly. To those who have sweated , tarried, fasted still their yoke and reproach are still there unshifted. Don’t worry, in all these moments of despondency and hopelessness, God remains God, his attributes incomparable with the goodness of an earthly Father however good he seems. God ! The only option!! The best bet and the only deal with an unfailing return on investment.
Be calm in all situations! He never comes late! His thoughts for you, very sublime! It may look darkest, trust me, with God the dawn is assured and the glittering and shines of the dawn will swallow the darkest moments of ones life. He is all time the Ebenezer!! He isn’t transactional! He is rather selflessly transformational. His love, immeasurable!!
Dr.Jarlath Uche Opara Jarlathuche@gmail.com