| Circumstantial Christianity - article by Joel Hempel
Lord, please, remove this thorn, remove this temptation, heal my loved one, stop the chaos, and make your way known! Asking God to intervene in our lives is a daily occurrence for Christians. Given what Scripture says, it is reasonable to expect God to change our not-so-pleasant circumstances so we can be healthier and happier. But when he doesn’t, we can easily conclude he has it in for us, or we must be paying for the sins of our past, or he doesn’t care, or he is busy dealing with bigger problems and hasn’t even noticed little ole me. Circumstantial Christianity: That is what we are inclined to believe in. What is Circumstantial Christianity? It is the belief that because we are saved by grace, have sacrificed for our Lord, have been faithful to God, and lived our Christian values, we should be rewarded with favorable life circumstances. You are in good company if you are inclined to hold such a belief. The disciples, who lived in close fellowship with Jesus 24-7 for three years, had this conviction until after Jesus ascended. Only when the Holy Spirit came upon them and began working in their minds and hearts did they understand our Lord’s mission and what he came to accomplish. As they reflected on Jesus’ teachings and the last 50 days of his earthly life, they understood that Jesus was PRIMARILY about freeing us from the burden of sin and preparing us for eternity with him. His primary work was not about fixing our here-and-now problems. Of course, when we are in the middle or the end of an 80-, 90-, or 100-year-old life with all the challenges and pain that comes with those years, it’s hard to appreciate what Jesus has done for us - especially if we or our loved ones are hurting and desperate for our Lord’s intervention. Also contributing to our confusion is that Jesus healed many when he walked this earth. So, why not me and mine? Some believe and teach that the days of miracles and divine intervention ended with Christ’s ascension. But anecdotally, many of us can testify that God has intervened in our lives with answered prayers and granted requests. The problem is, we don’t understand why sometimes and not other times. Pastor Scott has started a series on the Book of Job. We will see that after Job’s awful ordeal and his tirade against God, God answers Job and puts this beloved man in his place. But then, God blesses Job with great wealth, a beautiful family, and 140 additional years to enjoy it (see Job 42:10-17). So, maybe we also have that coming after our pain and suffering? As a matter of fact, we do! Scripture is clear! We are encouraged to ask for what we need (see James 5:13-16; Luke 11:2-4; Philippians 4:6-7; Psalm 6:2, 30:2). However, because we don’t know or understand the mind of God, we cannot count on God granting earthly blessings. But a restored, better-than-we-can-ever-imagine life with Jesus in heaven is ours to count on! | 
