What If God Was One of Us?

Aside from the Joan Osborne song that swept the Billboard charts in the 90s, one of the most memorable times I heard this question was in the film Austin Powers. Dr. Evil sat at a keyboard with his diabolical stare and sang the most hilarious rendition of this song! I'm cracking up just thinking about it! LOL! As hilarious as this scene was, it begs a much bigger question. What if God WAS one of us? Or in the reverse, what if one of us was God? I'm telling you now, if I were God, we'd all be in trouble!

Last week, while sitting at breakfast with my work bestie, we were talking about past hurts and disappointments and making the types of jokes that only we can make. We talked about forgiveness and how extremely hard it truly was. How often we think we've forgiven someone, but then the sting of that past pain creeps back up, and, all over again, we act like it just happened! In the midst of this talk I said, "I couldn't be God." She said, "The world is lucky I'm not God 'cause as soon as they did something I didn't like...ZAP!"

Most of us have to admit that we too would SUCK at being God. So many of us hold on to resentment and pain that no sin would be forgiven. Many of us are overbearing and controlling, so there'd be no such thing as freewill because we'd have little puppet people on our wee little puppet planet. Some of us are so judgmental that things like grace and mercy would be out the window! Lots of us are blunt, crass, and direct, so fruits of the spirit would dry up, rot, and die (bye bye gentleness, compassion, patience, etc.) And yet, there are those of us live with no limits or cloudy enough morals that the world would probably be even more chaotic than it already is!

If we would do such a terrible job at being God, why do we try to play God? We didn't audition for His role. This isn't some failed Broadway musical titled God featuring you as lead! Why do we try to handle our situations and problems without seeking His will for us? Why do we bask in our blessings without asking God how we can then bless others? Why do we think we have all the anwers...until we don't have any answers? We try everyday to be little gods and make huge decisions and give grandiose advice without giving God the space and time to just BE GOD!

There are two popular songs that remind us of God's sovereignty and power. The first is "I Am God" by Donald Lawrence and the Tri-City Singers. The chorus says, I am God all by myself/I don't need any help/I can handle things on my own/I am the first and the last/Whatever you need just ask/For I am...God." God is the big dawg! He has it all under control. He is God -ALL. BY. HIMSELF!

The second song, I Am, by James Nelson, reminds us that God wears many hats. He is the a healer, a provider, the creator with all power, a fortress, a safe house, and so many other things. The chorus of the song says, "That's who I am/Just let me be/Who I am for you."

We have to accept it: We are not God. He is in complete control. With Him, nothing is impossible. Because of who He is, he needs no additional help. We will feel a heavy burden lifted when we let God be who He is. When we do this, like Ray Charles, He can make it do what it do baby! So, instead of us trying to be God, let's focus more on honoring the fact that He IS God...all by himself. Be Blessed. XOXO