...a God of order...

Recently a thought was posed to me - God is a God of order. I wasn't sure how I felt about this statement in relation to life circumstances. I think of "orderly" as neat and tidy - making sense - I might even go so far to think - "perfect." As I looked back on different times in my life I definitely see times of circumstances not making sense. My life is not neat and tidy. Nor is it anywhere near perfect. But, God IS perfect. So how does that mesh with circumstances in my life? How can I believe that all things (even the super bad chaotic stuff) will work together for my good. And, that God has allowed those crazy circumstances! How does God use chaos for His glory when He is perfect? A God of order?

Webster's Third New International Dictionary takes up almost two full columns on this word "order." The second definition given is, "to arrange or dispose according to some plan or with reference to some end : put in a particular order : arrange in a series or sequence
So how can God be a God of order in all the craziness and when so much doesn't make sense?

What about families that have a child for a short time, then lose that precious child to illness or tragedy? Is that order?

What about when a child you've raised to love Jesus turns their back on the Lord? Is that order?

What about when you lose a job, then get a job, then lose that job? Was that all God's plan? Is it order? It sure doesn't seem like it.

The list of stories and situations could go on and on. We only need to look at the news for 5 minutes to see the chaos all around us. There's a whole lot in this world that doesn't make sense.
"God is a God of order" - I didn't feel I could agree with this statement so I went searching for understanding. I found plenty of times in the Bible where things just don't make sense:

Tamar - she was married twice (at separate times) to two brothers who refused to give her children. So God took the brother's lives. Then Tamar had to dress and act as a prostitute to trick Judah (brothers' father) into giving her what was rightfully and customarily her's - a son. Doesn't sound orderly to me! But, Tamar is in the lineage of Jesus Christ.

Jericho - I wonder if the Israelites thought it was orderly to walk around the walls of Jericho. How on earth would the walls fall just by walking around them? But they obeyed. God brought the walls down. And, a woman and her family were saved from Jericho. The woman's name is Rahab, and she also is in the lineage of Jesus Christ. Oh, and, by the way, Rahab was... a... shhh... prostitute. Orderly?

Ruth - Wow! The brazenness of Ruth. In a culture when women must know their place and stay in it, Ruth answered the call of the Lord and laid at the feet of the one she was to marry. Was that order? Did it make sense to go against the culture? Ruth is also in the lineage of Jesus Christ.

One more...

Jesus Christ Himself. The Pharisees saw Jesus as anything but keeping order. He healed on the Sabbath. He had crowds of followers - sick, hungry, needy. He tested the Pharisees and broke the "rules." Then He, the sinless, perfect lamb of God, took upon Himself the sins of every person past, present and future - mine and yours. Orderly? Honestly, that makes NO SENSE at all.

I also found times of obvious order in the Bible: (here's a couple)

6 days of Creation - yep, seems to me there's order there. Day and night, day and night, day and night...

Animals coming to the ark - two by two and some in sevens. Yep, orderly. Noah didn't have to do anything to get the animals on the ark.

We can see order in God's creation. Again, day and night, the earth's rotation and orbiting consistent and steady, seasons, growth of plants, etc...

The difference I see in these two lists is people. With people sin and chaos entered into this world.

My conclusion.
Yes, God IS a God of order. But, NOT the order I think of as neat and tidy and making sense. My ways are not your ways saith the Lord. [For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. (Isaiah 55:8 KJV)] God will use the chaos of this world to bring Glory to Himself. God will even use the chaos of this world to mold us. (See the life of Job) Again - to bring glory to the Father.

It's hard to understand when you're in the midst of chaos. It's hard to say that what you're going through is what God has in His plan for you. It doesn't hurt less, when we feel we've been wronged, to trust that what we're going through is God's plan.

I wouldn't want God to take me on a different path, just because it didn't make sense to me or to avoid the pain. I want to be on the path He KNOWS is best for me. Chaos or not.

Yep, that's super scary to say. Because I do not know what is next on my path.