For those of you who grew-up in the 60‘s like me, you probably remember a TV show about a Cuban band leader named Ricky Ricardo (Desi Arnaz) who married a fiery red head named Lucie. That’s right, “The Lucille Ball Show” or “I Love Lucie.” It was in black and white and was one of the highest rated shows of the 1960’s ( I Love Lucie was actually produced in the 1950’s). The show is still in syndication and can even be seen on The Hallmark Channel over a half century later. That’s pretty amazing, huh? Anyway, enough TV trivia. There’s a line from the show that people quote all the time and it’s, “Luuuucieeeee, you got some splainin’ to do” (which is usually said with a thick hispanic accent). Have you ever heard somebody say that? Yes? Well, the problem with that quote is that Ricky never said it on the show. The line that everybody supposedly remembers and quotes is actually an urban legend... it never happened. Supposedly Ricky comes home one day, and as soon as he walks in the house, something is wrong and Ricky says the line, “Luuuuucieeeee, you got some splainin’ to do.” Only thing is, it never happened! Seriously, google it. You won’t find it anywhere.
Have you ever said that to God? Not, “Lucie... you got some splainin’ to do” but rather “God, you’ve got some explaining to do!” Seriously, have you ever encountered something in your life and you really felt like God owed you an explanation for it? I mean, you’re a good person and you’re trying to do your best at following Him and He’s in control of everything... so what’s up God? Can you explain this to me? Can you tell me why my life looks like a mess when all I’m doing is what “you” told me to do? God, you’re the one that asked me to ___________ so why did it turn out all jacked-up?
Have you ever done that? Even if you’ve never actually verbalized it, you’ve definitely thought that before, right? But here’s the thing... God doesn’t owe us an explanation because He is God! Somehow, in our quest to know God (which is good and right) our theology has gotten off track. We’ve come up with the idea that we’re almost on the same level as Him (even though we’d never say it out loud) and that everything He does has to make sense to us or He better have a good explanation for it! I mean, if we’re following Him and the outcome of a certain situation doesn’t line up with how I think it should turn out then, come on God... this isn’t right and it’s not fair!
Even when it comes to scripture we do the same thing. If the bible says it and I believe it and then I do it (what the bible says), then the outcome BETTER be what I think it should be otherwise God better come-up with a good explanation (insert me looking heavenward shaking my finger at God here).
How arrogant is that? For us to think that God (the God of Heaven and Earth, the creator of everything, the omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent God) owes us anything is ludicrous! And as far as how things turn out?... the outcome belongs to God too. They (the outcomes) aren’t ours to control. The bible isn’t a book of formulas that we follow like the instructions in some kind of do it yourself self-help book that’ll make us end up at the same place every time. Yes, the bible is the inspired word of God. And yes, we believe the bible is infallible and we follow the instructions in it because they (the words in it) are life to us. And yes, everything in the bible is true and adding to it or taking away from it is definitely not a good move. But we’re required to follow God’s “word,” not the “results” of following God’s word. We follow Him regardless of how the ending turns out. We’ve got to. Otherwise we’re placing ourselves in the position of God because we think we can dictate every ending to every story just by us following certain steps (because if I do step A then I better end up at B). That’s crazy. He is God and we are not.
But it all boils down to one word... trust. Do we trust Him even if it doesn’t turn out the way we imagined it would? Are we still willing to follow even if 1+1 doesn’t = 2 sometimes?
Sometimes doing the right thing (the thing God asks us to do) will end in a way that we don’t like or even understand. But we need to trust Him anyway. We need to resolve within ourselves that no matter what, we’re gonna do what God and His word says, period.
Just like Sharach, Meshach and Abednego told the king when they were threatened to be thrown into the fire if they didn’t bow. They said:
“Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, oh king. But if not, we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”
Daniel 3:17-18
They said God was able and willing but even if He didn’t deliver them, they weren’t gonna bow because they were gonna serve Him (God) regardless. What about you and me? When something tragic happens in our lives and we pray and pray but the ending isn’t what we were believing for... what do we do? How do we react? What about when we take a major step of faith (like adopting 5 kids or moving to the foreign mission field, haha) and things don’t go like we’d like, what then? Do we demand an answer? Do we tell God that He owes us an explanation (or at least think it)? Or do we just trust Him?
As far as us? (because if you haven't picked-up on it yet, I'm preachin' to myself) ... well, as hard as things are for us (here in Brazil) and as messed-up as some things seem, we’re gonna trust and follow, trust and follow, that’s all we can do. And we’re gonna leave the ending all up to Him. If it turns out the way we think should then great. If it doesn’t, then that’s Ok too. Our lives belong to Him so He can write the script any way He wants. And He doesn’t even have to explain: )
Trusting Jesus,
Jim and MJ
PS- the picture at the top is of a church in Morrettes. It's a town about an hour away from where we live.
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