for Christ's sake: efficiency‏

Life is messy which leave us with two possible explanations.

1. God is inefficient
2. God is efficient at what He is doing
Is efficiency even something God exalts?
Are we even sure efficiency is something God should be or even claims to be?

We exalt efficiency.
We declare it good.
We then condemn God for being inefficient.

So we demand an explanation:

Why this?
Why that?
Could You have done this quicker, better, faster, etc…?
Could any of this have been avoided?

Romans 9:20

But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?”

Who are we to declare anything good?

Who are we to judge God by our standards?

Romans 8:28-30

²⁸ And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. ²⁹ For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. ³⁰ And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

Do we know that?
Do we know that all of this is for the good if we are found in Him?
Are we so foolish as to assume that being conformed to Christ would be a cakewalk?

But precisely there is the rub, right?

Couldn’t God do it quicker, faster, better, etc…?
He’s God after all.
Conform me now.
If that is the end goal, then let’s expedite this process.

But…

Romans 9:22-23

²² What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, ²³ in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory

What we call inefficient, God calls our glory.

Jesus even inquired, “Is there another way? Can this cup pass?”
There wasn’t and it didn’t.

The Cross was messy.
So are we.

What we condemn as clumsy, God exalts as Christ.

God is gracious to cast us in metal that we by these fires may be refined rather than consumed.

Why fire at all? Is there no other way?
Only God knows and He chooses this.

And who are you to question His choices?