Can our God tell people to shut up?

Day 21 was a day of reflection...SO...onto day 22 :).

Mark 1-3

Question: What surprised you in this passage? Why? I think sometimes we get this image of God stuck in our heads, an image of a quiet, slow to speak God. A God who doesn't want to hurt out feelings, and breaks it to us sugar coated. A God who doesn't know how to raise his voice, gentle. A God who has good etiquette. But if you read the first 3 chapters of Mark, you will be surprised. "Jesus, overhearing, shot back, 'Who needs a doctor: the healthy or the sick? I'm here inviting the sin-sick, not the spiritually fit.'" He shot back?! He asked them a question with an obvious answer, sarcasm almost... and I love this about Jesus. I would much rather have a Jesus who is gentle, yet rough. A Jesus who is quiet, yet louder than I will ever be. A Jesus who obeys the rules of God, but not the rules of man.

Psalm 18:25-50

"This God set things right for me and shut up the people who talked back." Does this sentence stir up any memories in you? How about desires? Memories: Fall. 2008. I was attending PUC. I was only there for a couple months, when I realized I wasn't ready for college. I had a desire to do "more" with my life. I wanted to be a student missionary. I wanted to do something for God, and for His people. I talked to the PUC missions people, and they told me it would easily be another year before I could go...that I should stay in school this year and we would begin to work on it and blah blah blah. I wasn't having it. So I finished the fall quarter, and went home, everyone told me to stay in college, told me that if I left I would never go back, told me this was a good idea, but to wait another year or so. There were people who I disappointed by leaving. I immediately began searching for mission jobs on the Adventist Volunteers website. There were plenty of your typical mission jobs in places like Nicarauga and Africa...but then I saw a job in England, and I was like, well that would be cool. I looked at the description, and loved it right away, I applied. It took a few months just to compelte the application process! It was so long and a lot of work and organization. I was feeling discouraged, and overwhelmed. But finally my application was processed and sent to the Church looking for a Youth Worker in England. The division in America that was sending me, advised me on a few things, I still remember the conversation I had with one of their employees. He asked me if I had ever been interested in going to one of the islands for a mission trip, that lots of college students go to these certain islands, and maybe I should think about it. I explained that no, I had applied for the job I felt God was calling me for. He said, well it is very likely that you won't get that job, there are a few people applying, and you should think about your other options. I was quite hurt, and annoyed, and responded with a no thank you I know what I want, and if it doesn't work out, I will consider your suggestion, thank and have a great day kind sir. UGH. And I wanted to hit someone. Everyone was telling me I couldn't do this, I shouldn't do this, and I just wanted to ask them if God told them that, and if he didn't, then to shut up. God didn't tell anyone to shut up, as far as I know. But when I got the job, and I left for England in July of 2009, 6 months after applying, everyone did shut up. God had a plan for me, and I knew it. "God set things right for me and shut up the people who talked back"


It sounds almost against our image of God to say he shut someone up, but maybe it's not.