My thoughts on God being an Interventionalist God

I think that ever since sin entered the world man has been bent on making his own way in the world and for the most part God has been left behind. I believe that God IS an interventional God with the chief evidence for this being that He sent Jesus. What would be the point of creating this world and in particular humans (and Genesis says humans were created in Our image’ and for/to be in communion with God) and then stepping back and leaving everything be?

So in my understanding there are 2 views of God in this area
1 Non-Interventionalist God, we have made our own mess. After creation God stepped back to watch the show. This gives a picture of an unfeeling God. A God who is apart from His creation and who does not care.
2 Interventionalist God, this I see as a God of love, who is doing everything He can to bring His people back to Him. Restricted by our own free will however.

Evidence from the bible that God is an Interventionalist God…
There are stories upon story in the bible of God’s gracious and or judgmental intervention in both the lives of inderviduals and in whole communities. In no particular order here are a few such examples.

Luke 7: 11-17 healing of the dead man
2 Kings 4: 1-7, 8-17 provision for the faithful
Isaiah 43: 19 a way where there is no way
Abraham: Genesis 12: 1-5, 15: 1-6, 17: 1-8, 18: 11-14, 21: 1-8, How long did Abraham wait? Was he denied?
Bartimeus: Mark 10: 46-52 He prayed and the Lord answered
The women with the issue of blood: Mark 5: 25-34 her faith and desperation
The man at the pool in Bethesda: John 5: 1-9 God is still going about His mercy

Again and again God intervenes in the plight of the Israelites in the old testament and of coarse the most valid picture for an Interventionalist God is that of Jesus Christ. The Son of God sent to redeem and to bring a people…all people back to the Father.

I also believe however that there is a part on our side to be played when it comes to divine intervention. It always comes from God but man must play his part.
Faith, if we could simple believe God without doubting Him. Hebrews 11: 6, Mark 11:22-24.
Prayer, Ask Him, Seek Him, be in communion with Him. Matt 7:7-11, 1 Sam 1: 10 -12, come to Him with boldness Hebrews 10: 22.
Obedience, Isaiah 1: 19 obedience is better than some sacrifices and genesis 22: 10-19 Abraham obeyed and God acted in time.
Holiness, walk in holiness Hebrews 12: 14.

It is not in the nature of God to force anything on anybody. For any blessing including divine intervention, there must be willingness and yeildedness to the hand of God.

And this is where free will enters…If we are not willing and yielded how can God intervene? To intervene in our free will is to take away that free will. God does not intervene with our capacity to exercise our free will, whether we use it for the betterment or the detriment of ourselves and others. The issue of sin and free will is one of the most troubling to get your head around (least that’s what I find). I have put it in the basket called ‘God knows and understands and that’s ok…I don’t have to’ I accept by faith that it is all ok because God is in control. And I remember this…The bible speaks of praying for each other, praying for ourselves, intercession etc, suggesting that God DOES intervene in the lives of His People.