- How is God different then Genie?
2) He Knows What Is Best For Us And, Despite Our Wishes, Can Say "No"
There's a talk that I listen to quite frequently by a man named Larry Chesley. He's a Latter-Day Saint who grew up in Idaho and fought in the Vietnam War. During that time, he was captured by the Vietnamese and spent seven years as a POW. He speaks a lot on how prayer got him through the whole ordeal but he also jokingly makes reference to a saying he had heard some years back.
"If God really wanted to punish His people, all He would have to do is answer their prayers" (unknown).
I find a lot of truth in that statement. By no means am I saying that God does not answer our prayers, but sometimes He doesn't always give us what we ask for. God loves us enough that despite our wishes, he can say "No".
As long as Aladdin kept his wishes within the guidelines of the rules given to him by Genie, Genie was obligated to grant them. Whether it would ultimately benefit him in the long run mattered not - Genie was bound to grant whatever his master wished for, again, so long as they remained within the set guidelines.
We know that God sets guidelines also that we must follow - you can see that similarity here in a previous post. Although, we also know that God does not restrict how many wishes we can make. There is no "3-Wish Limit Rule" when it comes to asking God for anything. With that said, that does not mean He will grant us everything we ask for.
One might respond, saying this,
Yes, He can. We must remember why we are here. We are here to grow and learn about God. We are to follow the example that His Son, Jesus Christ, set for us. Within this scope of life, we make mistakes and though our prayers might be well intended, whatever if may be for, God knows what is best for us in the long run. This life is not the end is very short compared to what's ahead of us in the eternities.
Ever seen this symbol before? ∞ That symbol means "infinity" and most of you have probably seen it in math class some where through the years. Infitity is the best thing I can relate "eternity" to for you - its a very long time and never ending. This life is very short in regards to that time that we are meant to spend with God. God realizes this and wants us to return to Him.
He will not do anything that would harm us or detract us from this long-term goal. Because we are not perfect, we sometimes ask for the wrong things. How terrible would that be to receive something from God that would actually injure out long-term progression!
However, that is not how God operates. The following scripture illuminates that concept.
"All things which are good cometh of God ... that which is of God inviteth and enticeth to do good continually; wherefore, every thing which inviteth and enticeth to do good, and to love God, and to serve him, is inspired of God"(Moroni 7:12-13)
Thus God can say "No" to our prayers if it hurts our eternal salvation. As we have read, God will only do that which will bring us closer to Him. That course, one that I am doing my best to follow, will lead us to never-ending happiness with our Heavenly Father.
To finish it up, the last two differences are summed up into single phrases:
3) God's Work Does Not Begin When The Lamp Is Rubbed, Its Only Manifested.
4) There Are None Greater Then God. He Is Not In Chains, We Are.
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