I can see the advertisement now: “You’ve known Him as Creator, you loved Him as the law-giver, now get ready to see Him as… THE GAMBLER” (insert mental music here). If this sounds silly, well, you’re living with the wrong view of God according to people who ascribe to Openness Theology.

Even the birth of Jesus was a gamble for God. Think I’m cracked? Read on. “If Mary had declined. . . , then God would have sought other avenues. After all, it is doubtful that there was only one maiden in all of Israel through whom God could work. God is resourceful in finding people and then equipping them with the elements necessary for accomplishing his purposes” (Sanders, God Who Risks, 92).

If God had to rely on Mary to give the thumbs up, then how can we trust God to protect us and provide for us when the chips are down. Ultimately, we can never know for sure that God is having His way, or stuck in a rut because people refuse to play along. No, God doesn’t seek to take the “house,” He owns the house!