Is God Created for Us?

“For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:” Colossians 1:16

From the very beginning of scripture God tells us that He created all things. “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” Genesis 1:1 For years I taught this simple truth to my Kindergarten students.  Many would accept this without question, while others would say, “But why?”  I would read to them Colossians 1:16. God created everything for Himself. And still some would say, "But why?" but that's a whole different topic!!!

While reading Crazy Love I found that Francis quoted Colossians 1:16.  Then he asked this question, “Don’t we live instead as though God is created for us, to do our bidding, to bless us, and to take care of our loved ones?” I was struck by how I do feel that way sometimes. 

In our media driven world all the propaganda is focused on one thing.  Think about yourself!  Lookout for #1! It’s warped our thinking of God. It's warped our thinking of ourselves too.  It’s made us selfish. Instead of thinking about what we can do for the Creator, we think instead of what we can do for ourselves or worse what can God do for us.

We’re taught in Sunday school to pray and ask God for our needs. To ask for blessings and good health. To ask for the desires of our hearts. Its here I think sometimes we go astray.  Here is where the focus is taken off of God and shifted to us. Don’t get me wrong, all of these things are taught in scripture, but if we’re not careful we’ll find ourselves expecting God to answer every request just as we asked Him too. Forgetting that He is the all-knowing One who does what is best for us.

You can check yourself by looking at your attitude when God’s answer to something you really wanted is no or wait. Do you get angry or frustrated?  Then your focus was on yourself rather than God.

Christians need a reminder that life is not all about us.  We were created for God. For His pleasure. To do His will.  When we question God or get upset because He didn’t do for us what we expected we need to remember this, “All the inhabitants of the earth are counted as nothing, and He does what He wants with the army of heaven and the inhabitants of the earth. There is no one who can hold back His hand or say to Him, “What have You done?” Daniel 4:35 HCSB