Do we hold God to a standard? Do we compare Him to…??? Don’t dismiss this question out of hand because I suspect we do… maybe not overtly, but subconsciously? We may not acknowledge this but I still suspect we do. Our, ‘but you did this for (fill in the blank)’ thoughts or our seeking why when the answer is clearly stated in His Word. Aren’t these all a form of comparing? Perhaps not a temptation or a test… but do we still, on some level, do this?
If so, then the question is the next question – why do we do this? The answer to that question is quite simple – it’s an automatic condition. We are always comparing even when we try not to. We compare in order to understand, to ‘categorize’ the learning. We compare in order to find an answer to our ‘why’ or ‘how cum’. It’s how we order our world, our lives. And don’t think the Father is unaware of this or surprised. Actually He already gave us our basis for comparison.
“So will My word be which goes out of My mouth; It will not return to Me void (useless, without result), Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.” (Isaiah 55:11, AMP)
If we must compare, than that’s the foundation for doing so. There are also other ‘standards’ that the Father has already given us for comparing. Example: the
scriptures that point to the fact that God cannot lie ((Titus 1:2; Hebrews 6:18). God cannot be tempted by evil nor does He tempt (James 1:13) and God cannot deny Himself (Timothy 2:13). How about you? Are you tempted by evil, do you tempt others (including God) – the familiar ‘if you do (fill in the blank) for me then I promise I will do…. or not do.
Standing should be our action, not comparing. When we study His Word we discover precisely who He is, what He does, and how He does it. We don’t need to hold Him to His word because He is inseparable from His word. There’s a fascinating article about God’s word: https://ftc.co/resource-library/blog-entries/what-the-word-of-god-says-about-the-word-of-god-book-by-book/ which shows the context of how His word is displayed in each book of the Bible.
The Word of God is often referred to as the Christian’s manual. It is. As we study and learn from His word and see the confirmation in scripture, our confidence grows and we can move from comparing to acting.
