Their Godward Side

                                      Genesis 9:18-11:9

I make no bones about it, reading the account of the tower of Babel leaves me a bit baffled and babbling myself. It is hard for me to think that for a minute God is intimidated at all by this nonsense of a tower reaching to the heavens or this ridiculous thought that a single-minded mankind could pose a threat of any kind. So what is the issue?

In terms that I can understand, it appears that it was the same one that strapped Adam and Eve, the attempt to increase themselves on the god-ward side. God had said to them, "You may freely eat of every tree of the garden; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die." (Gen. 2:17)  Of course, we all know, all too well the consequence of their little adventure when they opened that door of "surely God didn't mean..."

Now, in the starting over process, God has told the descendants of Noah to go "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth." (Gen. 9:1)  However, somewhere along the way they decided that "surely God didn't mean...." So they decided to strengthen themselves around their commonality and nationality and build a monument as a tribute to their selfishness.  As they were building up, God was coming down....

I cannot count the number of times in my life when I choose to increase my self on the god-ward side and tell myself, "surely God didn't mean..."  Whether it's a word that needs to be spoken, a deed that needs to be done, a move that must be made, the hesitation and questioning that handicaps me is surprising. What is it about me that thinks I know better than God? 

I may not totally understand the Tower of Babel incident, but I can certainly identify with it.

Father God, my nature is to want control. The reality of it is, control creeps over into my wanting to increase myself on the god-ward side. How foolish that is. I confess that to you and ask your forgiveness.  In Jesus Name.