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Predestined


          In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. (Ephesians 1:4b-6)

         For some, “predestined” means that we have no free will. We’re robots who must do what we’re programmed to do. Predestination is seen as a bad thing because it gives us only a pretense of freedom. However, those who accept evolution are being taught that we have no free will, that we are simply responding to our genetic programming and chemical responses of our bodies. Somehow, that’s not supposed to be as offensive as when God denies us a will. Being programmed by a series of accidents is better than being programmed by an all-wise and loving God?
        Their answer? It could be, “Well, perhaps not, but that’s just the way it is, so we may as well accept it.”
         Why doesn’t that answer work both ways? (One-way traffic imposed in the mind once again.)
          I disagree with the idea that either God or genetics micromanages every electrical impulse, every breath and heartbeat. Of course, God could do so, but He doesn’t need such micromanagement. Suppose the president were to hand you a piece of paper with an address on it, and say, “Go to Los Angeles. Be at that address at 11:22 am, local time, Friday, the 27th of September 2019.” Would you be doing his will if you arrived in Los Angeles on the 25th? The 26th? The 27th at 6 am? Would you be doing his will if, after the meeting at 11:22, you drove your rental car up to Yosemite? Would you be doing his will if you wore a track suit? A business suit? Nothing? (Granted the last would interfere with your ability to be there at 11:22 and the person you’re supposed to meet would likely keep on walking, but since you weren’t given instructions on what to wear, you wouldn’t be failing to do his will, just failing to use your brain.)
          On the other hand, the president could have told you to dye your hair a specific color, wear an brown suit with a tie that he handed you. In that case, if you showed up at the meeting in a track suit, or nothing, you would not be doing his will. In the same way, if you were to go to a mall at 12:49 am and leave a bomb in a fitting room, even though you went to Los Angeles to do the will of the president, that wouldn’t mean that setting off the bomb was his will.
          God’s will, like the president’s can be as wide or as narrow as He (or he) chooses it to be. I don’t believe that Moses or Paul had a choice about becoming God’s messenger. I suspect that other people are granted more freedom in that regard. I know I have never seen a burning bush or been blinded by a light from heaven. In fact, that’s my problem with God where His will is concerned. I want a spiritual GPS that tells me “turn right in half a mile…a quarter mile…500 feet…200 feet…turn right now! You missed the turn.”
          God has told me that He won’t let me miss my “exits.” I’m trying to learn to trust that but when I slip a toe three inches forward and He doesn’t say, “Yes!” or “No!” I tend to be pretty sure I’m going to mess up. I know I’m predestined for adoption to sonship. I’m less certain of many other destinies.

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