God is NOT Happy
(book review)
I agreed to review this book because I was challenged by the
title. Just how could anyone speak for
God, let alone categorically decide that He was “NOT Happy”? What would make
someone say that? And even if the author were right, what would telling us
really accomplish? Isn’t life tough enough already without having to worry
about whether God was happy or not? I could just hear many saying, “Hey look,
I’m not happy – why should God be any different.”
Flo Taber-Brown shares her observations very poignantly and
explains her conclusion in her book, God is NOT Happy, published
by Westbow Press, 2015. She takes issue with our North American (primarily the
United States) culture, education, church practices, and our approach to missions
as the chief causes of God’s unhappiness and she backs up her arguments for
each using relevant portions of God’s own words from Scriptures. You can’t
argue with that. And in fact, I did not.
Taber-Brown’s common thread that she weaves through each of
her chapters as she tackles the various causes is this: fix it or God won’t
keep making His leniency available for long. In fact, if He stays true to form
with how He treated His chosen people in the Old Testament, He will use other
ungodly political and military powers to destroy us. The only two questions
that remain for Taber-Brown are “When?” and “Whom will He use?” (What nation;
what power; what driving force).
As I read her book, I often found myself angry at her anger
at us for just how badly we have messed things up. But perhaps that was as a
result of my own feelings of guilt as I couldn’t deny the truth in many of her
reflections. Her book is a quick (about 70 pages in all) and hard-hitting read.
It would have benefited from more editing and that, for me at least, added to
the frustration I was sensing when reading it. In addition, she speaks as a
minister in her Anglican church and much of what she observes and refers to is
indeed from an Anglican perspective and experience. Her recommendations as
cures also come primarily from that outlook and as such, limit their
application to only certain readers – as necessary as they may be.
But the hope she offers is for everyone – regardless of
one’s denominational background. The author repeats what those who believe in
God know to be true. In 2nd Chronicles, chapter 7, verse 14, He told
His chosen people, the Israelites: “If My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My
face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will
forgive their sin and will heal their land.” The question for us to discern is
whether what He told them applies to us today?
Perhaps it does or perhaps not.
For
me personally, there is no chance this side of heaven that what she calls for
will happen collectively, such as in a nation or continent. We’re too far gone
for that. And in fact, I believe Scripture actually speaks against it when it
says, “The earth reels to and fro like a drunkard And it totters like a shack,
For its transgression is heavy upon it, And it will fall, never to rise again.”
(Isaiah 24:20)
Flo
Taber-Brown’s identified hope still works, however, for the individual – for
you and for me. You and I may not be
able to prevent God from punishing North America, but we can prevent Him for
being “unhappy” with us. Taber-Brown tells
us how.
It would be great if you would share your thoughts or questions on this blog in the comments section below or on social media.
