So, intercessory prayer is common sense. The Lord Jesus taught us to pray, "thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." This is the Lord commanding us to expect God to move in the world. It is God telling us, in the imperative, that we are even responsible for God's beauty goodness and truth being manifested by our words and deeds. Beauty, Goodness, and Truth is the philosophical way to describe the ministry of Jesus, all this God stuff.

The thought of God as Judge is difficult for us. We can accept that he grieved, and that his heart was filled with pain, but that his suffering resulted in the Flood is a challenge to our understanding. How is God present in this natural disaster? This is a question prompted recently by the earthquakes and tsunamis around the Pacific rim, and the tornadoes in the South. The view of the Bible is that God can command the creation to do his bidding.

First, Adam and Eve hide from God. They, who formerly walked with God as a friend and companion, are now afraid of him. They feel themselves naked, ashamed. There is a consciousness of guilt for falling short of the glory God had intended for them, and going against his will. Here is the birth of self-consciousness. We, humans, can reflect upon ourselves. We can ponder events in our hearts. We have consciences that accuse us. We put a distance between ourselves and God.

Think about it. If you love a person whose life is all put together and has no major needs, it costs you nothing. It's delightful. There are probably four or five people like that where you live. You ought to find them and become their friend. But if you ever try to love somebody who has needs, someone who is in trouble or who is persecuted or emotionally wounded, it's going to cost you. You can't love them without taking a hit yourself.