Making Room for God?

It is interesting to read the early encounters between Moses and Pharaoh in Exodus and notice that some of the early miracles were duplicated by the magicians of Egypt.  This prompted Pharaoh to scoff at Yahweh and conclude that He had no power.  It was only as the plagues grew more impressive that first the magicians, then the people of Egypt, and finally Pharaoh acknowledged Yahweh as God of Israel who was at work in Egypt.

Whilst the view of the Egyptians towards Israel and Yahweh changed over time, the view of God they expressed has not.  Many of the things which in previous days had been accorded miracle status can now be duplicated by science.  This has occurred particularly (but not exclusively) in the medical field.  As the "gaps" have been filled in understanding, people have come less and less to rely on or believe in God.

In the midst of the encounters between Moses and Pharaoh, the Bible never concludes that God was not at work - even when the magicians duplicated His miracles.  God is always able to work - even where human endeavour has developed ability to predict and bring things about.  We can now predict and explain the weather with reasonable accuracy, we understand more about growing crops, and we know more about the body and its operations, but this does not negate the role and reality of God in these things.

I wonder how many other areas of life we have written God out of because we are able to simulate His work?  That's not to say that these ways are invalid, but to recognise and affirm God at work in and through them also, at the same time leaving room for God to work above and beyond them.
Perhaps there are areas of our life that we need to make room for God again.

Gary
October 10, 1993
 
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