The Intentionality of God

I feel like this is such an important concept of God's nature to grasp in this moment in time. I feel like this is the very thing He is speaking into my heart, and the funny thing is, He's so intentional about it! (ok bad pun)

In the past few years there have been so many times, I have thought something, and God would give me what I wanted almost immediately. I didn't even have to pray about it. I remember once two years ago, I came back from Stanford for some break (I don't remember which), and KFC had a new burger on promotion, the fish zinger. I really wanted to try it but before I could get my hands on one the promotion ended. In my grief I wished it would come back. And within a span of two months (so I guess it was summer break), the zinger burger came back and it was even added to the regular burger menu.

When I saw it at KFC again, I remember being astonished at His goodness. And then He whispered in my ear, "If even for something as small as a fish zinger, I'm willing to give you, how much more the things that are more important to you." The funny thing was, I only ever ate it once, and never ate it again. And it's still on the menu up to today. The fish zinger didn't impact my life at all.

But God answering my prayer sure did.

For if God did not even spare His own son but gave Him for us all, how much more will He give us all things? He is that intentionally good towards us.

In life though, it doesn't seem like every prayer gets answered. Let's be real. But I think the key word here, is seem. I'm very mystified by the verse in 2 Corinthians 1, that for all of God's promises, Jesus Christ is the yes, and we are the amen. I feel in the tension of this verse the magnitude of the invasion that heaven is carrying out against earth.

But I do find myself slipping in and out of being convinced that God is that intentionally good towards us. Especially in times when we are waiting for breakthrough, where on some days, winning equals just being able to stand. Why has God not answered our prayers? And these are important prayers too, prayers with huge consequences in our lives.

We see the world through a lens. We can either see the world based on our circumstances, or based on the nature of God. The thing that God said about the fish zinger really stuck in my head. It represents His heart towards us. And far too many time have I used my circumstances to challenge the heart of God, rather than use the heart of God to challenge my circumstances. I want to see today as a day closer to breakthrough, rather than a day more in the lack of it.

The thing I like about God - whether or not I feel disappointed or happy, He never changes, and is still intentionally good. Very intentional about being good to us, and loving us. There is so much in process that we don't see. Given enough time, His glory - His intentional goodness - will be manifest itself. But for us who believe in it now even though it has not manifested itself in the physical realm, it has begun to manifest in our hearts. And such faith pleases Him so much. It's like tickling His feet until He laughs out blessings and wonders and joy all over us.

Blessed be God, whose nature is to prosper us - May He be forever praised. He is enthroned high yet His goodness dwells among us. His grace is our floor and His depth our ceiling, His righteousness stands on our right and His mercy on our left; He envelopes us and we are hidden in Him. By His hand He will snatch us from our place and bring us into realms unseen and unheard. He is good and loving and kind and gentle, compassionate and powerful and bright and wonderful. He moves from everlasting to everlasting, and His word is truth. Blessed be His Name, by which we are saved.