A - Who's in Charge?

Throughout 2014, every two weeks, we will be exploring the character of God as we seek to know Him better, using the letters of the alphabet. Today we look at the letter A. 

Άλφα, Ωμέγα

In the beginning God . . .  – Genesis 1:1 (NIV)
      
I am the Alpha and the Omega . . . – Revelation 1:8; 21:6; 22:13 (NIV)
      
      
“God is not our buddy or our errand boy,” Marlene Bagnull notes in Write His Answer, her Bible study for Christian writers.
      
I read those words in 1996 and never forgot them. They extend into every area of my life, not just my writing and speaking.
      
You see, too often I forget who’s in charge and treat God like my chum or my gopher (you know, go-fer-this, go-fer-that). I shoot up prayer requests like orders, expecting Him to answer when I want, which is usually right now, and the way I want. It’s like I’m the master and He’s the servant.
      
Yes, the Bible tells us to pray, to lay our requests before Him, to ask, to seek, to knock, the cast all our cares on Him, and He will hear and will answer. In fact, He knows our needs before we even ask.
      
But none of the verses I’ve alluded to tell us to tell Him how to answer or when to answer.
      
In our me-first world, we tend to think we’re in charge.
      
Mankind has always had that problem – thinking he’s the center of the universe. Remember the uproar when Copernicus, in the sixteenth century, theorized that the earth revolved around the sun? How dare him! It wasn’t until the next century that Galileo and his telescope proved him right.
      
But we still have that problem of putting ourselves as the center of the universe. Everything and everyone else, including God, revolves around us and our wants. Just look at the way people drive. Me-first. Get out of my way. The rules of the road aren’t for me, so why should I use turn signals, stop at stop signs (isn’t slowing down enough?), or turn on my headlights when it’s raining or dusky? And if you’re going too slow for me, I’ll ride your tail until you speed up or I get a chance to pass you, even in a no-passing zone.
      
Yikes!
      
The Bible begins with four simple words: In the beginning God.
      
In the beginning of what? Of the created universe. Of time.
      
In the beginning God was already there. He created time.
      
The Hebrew word used for God in Genesis 1:1 is Elohim, and means “mighty God or supreme God.” Another name for God is Adonai, translated “Lord” and means “Master or owner of all things.” And why wouldn’t He be? He created it all.
      
God is the Alpha (the first letter of the Greek alphabet), and everyone knows the Alpha is the undisputed leader of the pack.
      
God is the Omega (the last letter of the Greek alphabet), the One who remains standing after the final battle is fought, after the earth as we know it disappears, after a new heaven and a new earth appear, after time ends and eternity begins. 
      
God is creator, master, the sovereign Lord of all that happens from the beginning to the end, the One who rules over human history.
      
He’s not anybody’s good buddy or errand boy.
      
      
Remind me, Lord, that You, not I, are the One in charge. You are Adonai, the Alpha of my life. Amen.

 

Special-Tea: Read Genesis 1; Revelation 21–22       

      
NOTE: In two weeks, we’ll seek God through the letter “B.”