“Come on God!” Have you ever said that? Have you ever thought that? Have you ever wanted to hear the roar of God? Especially when you’ve experienced the brokenness of humanity, the pain we inflict upon each other and the desperate look in the eyes of people who need to experience God’s love and His Kingdom on earth. In those moments, have you found yourself praying: “Come on God!”? I have. I find myself echoing the words of the Psalmist: “May God arise, may his enemies be scattered; may his foes flee before him. May you blow them away like smoke – as wax melts before the fire, may the wicked perish before God. But may the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; may they be happy and joyful.” (Psalms 68:1-3). We know followers of Jesus are called to be strong in the Lord, to know all our help comes from Him, and trust in His power and wisdom. Yet, there are so many needs, unanswered prayers, and mysteries that I find myself asking: “What are you doing God, why don’t you move?” Anyone else or is it just me?
Yet I am coming to realise, it may not be God who needs to arise but His people. It is the Church, the people of God who have access to all His wisdom and are filled with His Spirit. It is the people of God who are blessed in the heavenly realm with every spiritual blessing in Christ. It is the people of God who have been given His power and authority to bring the rule and reign of His Kingdom on earth. It is the people of God who are called to be the light of the world! For as much as I’m waiting on God, perhaps God is waiting on me?
“God, scatter your enemies!”
I so often see the hand of the enemy in our world and cry, “Come on God”. I feel so helpless, yet God has provided everything we need. Jesus recognises the threat of the enemy’s schemes in our world but tells us to stand on the promises we find in His Word: to be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power, to take our stand against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil, and to pray in the Spirit on all occasions. As followers of Jesus, we have been given authority to drive out demons, filled with the fullness of God, and the ability to stand against all injustice. Perhaps it’s time for the people of God to arise? Time to take our place in the heavenly realm next to Jesus ‘far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the age to come’ (Ephesians 1:21). Time to learn how to effectively wield the authority and power we have inherited.
“God, meet their needs!”
I so often see followers of Jesus struggling with so many unmet needs and cry, “Come on God!” Yet, I see the early Church demonstrating such generosity and love that all their needs were met (Acts 4:34). Those who put their faith in Jesus, were transformed by the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. They were rescued from the dominion of darkness and lived a new life. They became an astonishingly loving community, sharing life and living in each other’s houses. They knew when their neighbour had a need and did all they could to meet those needs, even selling land and houses! Perhaps it’s time for the people of God to deny our greed, to remember we are only stewards of all we have and exercise extravagant generosity?
“God, save these people!”
I so often see people who need a Saviour and cry, “Come on God!” Yet we have been commissioned to go and make disciples. To deny ourselves and live lives that please God. To leave the ways of darkness and live as children of light. We are called to be the signpost to the gospel, to be ready on every occasion to give a reason for the hope we have and to declare the message of the Kingdom. When will we realise how patient God is with us ‘not wanting any to perish, but everyone to come to repentance’ (2 Peter 3:9)?
Perhaps I need to stop crying out to God and waiting for Him to arise and do something. Perhaps God declares: ‘“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. 2 See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you.”’ (Isaiah 60:1-3). Perhaps when I cry, “Come on God!”, God shouts
back: “Come on Andy!”?
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