Hey y'all, me here.
This blog is going to be going on a bit of a hiatus, and I'm not sure when we're going to be back up and running. In the meantime, continue watching my art blog at www.spro-ductions.blogspot.com
Signing off for now,
Sarah
31 October 2009
30 October 2009
Questions
I've got some questions. I want to know you, but what if I could ask you only one thing, only this one time. What would you tell me?
Well maybe you could give me a suggestion so I could know you. What would you tell me? Maybe you could tell me what to ask you, because then I'd know you.
What would you tell me?
Please tell me that there's time to make this work, for all intents and purposes.
And what are your intentions? Will you try?
I'm begging you to ask me just one question. One simple question, because then you'd know me. I'll tell you that there's time to make this work, for all intents and purposes, at least for my own. What is a heart worth if it's just left all alone?
Leave it long enough and watch it turn into stone. Why must we always be untrue?
Link
Well maybe you could give me a suggestion so I could know you. What would you tell me? Maybe you could tell me what to ask you, because then I'd know you.
What would you tell me?
Please tell me that there's time to make this work, for all intents and purposes.
And what are your intentions? Will you try?
I'm begging you to ask me just one question. One simple question, because then you'd know me. I'll tell you that there's time to make this work, for all intents and purposes, at least for my own. What is a heart worth if it's just left all alone?
Leave it long enough and watch it turn into stone. Why must we always be untrue?
Link
24 October 2009
It must be done.
Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Colossians 3:13, NLT
I forgive you. A phrase I, and othera, sometimes find very hard to say, including others who, like me, call themselves Christians. Which is slightly strange, I think... Aren't Christians supposed to be just that - 'Christ ones'? We, Chrsitains, seem to hold ourselves and other Christians to a higher standard then our unsaved family or friends. We expect the pastor to always be available when we need him, we expect our Christian friends to be always loving and never judgemental.
I know many self-professing Christians who refuse to enter a church because the have been 'hurt in(or by) the church'. Yet, when Jesus was here on earth He told us that 'offenses will come'..
The truth is that we will be hurt by people, regardless of whether they are pastors, family members, people who love us or fellow members of the family of God. It's a completely natural part of living here on earth. If we can understand that, it will help us move on and deal with the hurt and, eventually, lead to forgiveness.
I wouldn't call myself an expert on forgiveness, but I'm fairly experienced in hurt. Hurt I've been through has caused my to question my faith. The betrayal of trust has hurt me badly, but had I not forgiven and walked on, I probably be very unlike the person I am today.
We hear the phrase forgive and forget thrown around very carelessly these days, which I would like to argue again. Forgive, yes, but don't forget. Don't ignore. Ignoring is the opposite of forgiving. The key is forgiveness is remembering. Even when we were still locked in our own sin (which hurt God), He loved us and forgave us. His expectation of us is that we will go and do the same. We have no right to harbour unforgiveness to others. We need to accept that hurt will come, and then act swiftly to show forgiveness. God doesn't say 'if' we can forgive, He says we 'must' forgive. It is then that we can heal and move forward.
Such an interesting topic, such little time to write about it... More to come, I promise.
I forgive you. A phrase I, and othera, sometimes find very hard to say, including others who, like me, call themselves Christians. Which is slightly strange, I think... Aren't Christians supposed to be just that - 'Christ ones'? We, Chrsitains, seem to hold ourselves and other Christians to a higher standard then our unsaved family or friends. We expect the pastor to always be available when we need him, we expect our Christian friends to be always loving and never judgemental.
I know many self-professing Christians who refuse to enter a church because the have been 'hurt in(or by) the church'. Yet, when Jesus was here on earth He told us that 'offenses will come'..
The truth is that we will be hurt by people, regardless of whether they are pastors, family members, people who love us or fellow members of the family of God. It's a completely natural part of living here on earth. If we can understand that, it will help us move on and deal with the hurt and, eventually, lead to forgiveness.
I wouldn't call myself an expert on forgiveness, but I'm fairly experienced in hurt. Hurt I've been through has caused my to question my faith. The betrayal of trust has hurt me badly, but had I not forgiven and walked on, I probably be very unlike the person I am today.
We hear the phrase forgive and forget thrown around very carelessly these days, which I would like to argue again. Forgive, yes, but don't forget. Don't ignore. Ignoring is the opposite of forgiving. The key is forgiveness is remembering. Even when we were still locked in our own sin (which hurt God), He loved us and forgave us. His expectation of us is that we will go and do the same. We have no right to harbour unforgiveness to others. We need to accept that hurt will come, and then act swiftly to show forgiveness. God doesn't say 'if' we can forgive, He says we 'must' forgive. It is then that we can heal and move forward.
Such an interesting topic, such little time to write about it... More to come, I promise.
13 October 2009
Squall is a strange word...
Some of you may have noticed my blogging frenzy I've been in lately. Now that I've settled into school and the weather is getting chilly so I'm spending most of my time inside, I've had time to think over conversations, random thoughts, and struggles of the past few months... These posts I've written and the ones still to come are all inspired from said discussion, thoughts or struggles over this time...
There was once a popular song that said "From a distance God is watching us..."
There are some people who believe God is like that. That He created the Earth and its inhabitants and then just walked away, watching from a distance, observing but not interfering, interested but uncaring.
But I don't believe that at all.
Awhile back I was reading Mark 4, verses 33-41. Crowds have gathered around the waters endge, and Jesus is teaching them from the bow of a fishing boat. He uses parable to teach the crowd, and then, a while later, he teaches his disciples through a living parable.
33With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand. 34He did not say anything to them without using a parable. But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything.
35That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, "Let us go over to the other side." 36Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. 37A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. 38Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?"
39He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
40He said to his disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?"
41They were terrified and asked each other, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!"
Notice verse 36... Especially how it says "..they took him along, just as he was, in the boat."
When the storms came, Jesus was in the boat with them. In my opinion, it could not be made any more plain: When the storms of life come up, he is "in the boat" with us.
So why doesn't it seem that way? Why does it feel like he's far off, on the shores, watching us struggle?
I think it's because we are focused on the waves, while he is focused on our faith. We are concerned with the material world, what is happening around us, he is concerned with our spirit. When the disciples cried out "don't you care if we drown?" Jesus' reply was "Where is your faith?"
This living parable was teaching the disciples, and us, about faith and trust. Jesus told them to go to the other side, he was in the boat with them. One might say that Jesus used the situation for the trying and the growth of their faith.
This life and this world are temporary. God gave us both. He is able, and has promised to give us a new life, a new heaven, and a new Earth, all based on faith. He cares for us, no doubt, but he priorities are eternal.
Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand,
that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your
anxiety on him because he cares for you.
1 Peter 5:6-7
that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your
anxiety on him because he cares for you.
1 Peter 5:6-7
12 October 2009
Truth in a Chem Question.
The world truth can sometimes, especially with people of this day and age, cause folks to bristle, tense up, or plug their ears. Hearing the word truth might make you wonder what is going to say next. Is there one truth, or, like in french class, is there many exceptions to a general rule? Are people who claim there is only one truth nothing but an intolerable and judgemental know-it-all?
I don't think it's a stretch to say that it can be difficult for someone to state that there is is one truth. In fact, I know that I myself have problems stating things in absolutes, and commonly throw in words like 'sometimes' or 'maybe', just so people don't interpret me as cocky. And it can definitely be hard for someone to say that there is an 'absolute truth that can be found and known' without being labeled as intolerant. Especially when it comes to religion. It's not generally accepted to say that Jesus us the only way to life everlasting.
But, just cause it's not accepted doesn't mean I'm going to stop from doing it.
I believe that Jesus is truth.
Some may call me judgemental, or intolerant. Some of my close friends may even question way I have the right no say that. And I definitely know some people would look down on me for trying to shove it down peoples throats.
But herein lies my argument with those arguments: I don't think you have to be judgemental or rude or intolerant or force anything on anyone to believe in the absolute truth. The big part of the problem is that there are many Christians, myself sometimes included, who give Christians a bad rap. Call themselves Christians and then don't act Christ-like at all.
Judgemental Christians give me a headache, for sure. But just because some Christians have shoved truth down others throats doesn't mean that Christianity is wrong. The truth in a faith should not be measured by the goodness of it's followers, for ALL humans are at some times hypocritical and at all times imperfect, but instead a faith should be measure by the Person behind the faith.
I believe there is truth. Absolute truth that can be found and claimed. Truth that can be the foundation for life and peace. I believe that Jesus was real, that He was who He claimed to be, that He died for our sins and that through believing in Him, and not through any religion, we can have eternal life. It is that truth that guides my life.
Now, I know this could cause some people to raise their eyebrows. Some of my friends would not be pleased I just claimed to know the truth about getting to Heaven. Not only that, but I didn't include any other religions, practiced by good people. What about not shoving your truth down people throats, some may ask. What about personal freedom to believe what you want? Isn't it rude to share your truth as if it were absolute, the only real truth?
Now, see here, I do believe quite strongly in not shoving beliefs down anyones throat. I don't think rudeness is okay in any situation, and condescending tones are not welcome either. I do not believe that ANYTHING is going to be furthered through rude and judgemental behaviour. As for personal beliefs, I do think people should believe what they want, and be allowed to find truth for themselves.
I am not trying to force anyone to accept my truth, only sharing how I have found truth and how it has changed my life, how it has become my life.
On a bit of a side note... What type of person would I be if I felt so passionately about something so important but I didn't share it? If I believe I have found something that is amazing and worth living for, then I definitely will want to share it.
I have found that having Jesus in my life brought me a deep joy and a sense of hope. And I want to share what I've found. And, really, I think that's natural.
I don't think it's a stretch to say that it can be difficult for someone to state that there is is one truth. In fact, I know that I myself have problems stating things in absolutes, and commonly throw in words like 'sometimes' or 'maybe', just so people don't interpret me as cocky. And it can definitely be hard for someone to say that there is an 'absolute truth that can be found and known' without being labeled as intolerant. Especially when it comes to religion. It's not generally accepted to say that Jesus us the only way to life everlasting.
But, just cause it's not accepted doesn't mean I'm going to stop from doing it.
I believe that Jesus is truth.
Some may call me judgemental, or intolerant. Some of my close friends may even question way I have the right no say that. And I definitely know some people would look down on me for trying to shove it down peoples throats.
But herein lies my argument with those arguments: I don't think you have to be judgemental or rude or intolerant or force anything on anyone to believe in the absolute truth. The big part of the problem is that there are many Christians, myself sometimes included, who give Christians a bad rap. Call themselves Christians and then don't act Christ-like at all.
Judgemental Christians give me a headache, for sure. But just because some Christians have shoved truth down others throats doesn't mean that Christianity is wrong. The truth in a faith should not be measured by the goodness of it's followers, for ALL humans are at some times hypocritical and at all times imperfect, but instead a faith should be measure by the Person behind the faith.
I believe there is truth. Absolute truth that can be found and claimed. Truth that can be the foundation for life and peace. I believe that Jesus was real, that He was who He claimed to be, that He died for our sins and that through believing in Him, and not through any religion, we can have eternal life. It is that truth that guides my life.
Now, I know this could cause some people to raise their eyebrows. Some of my friends would not be pleased I just claimed to know the truth about getting to Heaven. Not only that, but I didn't include any other religions, practiced by good people. What about not shoving your truth down people throats, some may ask. What about personal freedom to believe what you want? Isn't it rude to share your truth as if it were absolute, the only real truth?
Now, see here, I do believe quite strongly in not shoving beliefs down anyones throat. I don't think rudeness is okay in any situation, and condescending tones are not welcome either. I do not believe that ANYTHING is going to be furthered through rude and judgemental behaviour. As for personal beliefs, I do think people should believe what they want, and be allowed to find truth for themselves.
I am not trying to force anyone to accept my truth, only sharing how I have found truth and how it has changed my life, how it has become my life.
On a bit of a side note... What type of person would I be if I felt so passionately about something so important but I didn't share it? If I believe I have found something that is amazing and worth living for, then I definitely will want to share it.
I have found that having Jesus in my life brought me a deep joy and a sense of hope. And I want to share what I've found. And, really, I think that's natural.
Like, what if, I was sitting in chem class, and we were working through a list of exothermic reaction calculations. Time and time again, each student tries to answer the particularly hard questions, but cannot seem to come up with the correct number. There are just too many areas to go wrong... Writing out the equation, balancing it, entering into the calculator... Eventually, people just stick with getting close to the same answer... Then suddenly, I find out why I've been struggling so much, and I am able to get the correct answers.
What if I kept the truth to solving the questions a secret? I could tell myself that they are enjoying the process of finding the answer... I would hate to take away their source of enjoyment, I might reason. They're fine with the fact that they're only almost getting the answer, so why take that away from them? And I'm just sitting there, content with knowing I'm going to get 100% on my homework... What kind of person would I be if I didn't at least try to share? I should long for people to realize what I have, to experience the truth.
Granted, some of them might now. They might be perfectly happy trying again and again, erasing their mistakes and starting over. That would be their choice, and I'd respect that.
What I mean to say is...
Simply sharing what I believe and what has transformed my life, and opening up a discussion, is not being intolerant, no matter what some people may try to tell me.
I like that about my faith. The peace and hope I have in my life because of Jesus is simply too amazing to keep to myself. The freedom from guilt and shame, the joy even in struggles and the hope that comes from knowing this world is not the end is so beautiful and life-altering that I don't want to keep from sharing it.
Does that make me intolerant? I don't think so. In fact, I would hope that other people who believe so strongly in their faith would also want to share. I have friends who are agnostic, Jewish, and many who share similar beliefs to those I have. A just because I believe that Jesus, and Jesus alone, is the way to salvation and everlasting life doesn't mean I don't find value and worth in people who don't believe that.
It's just that I have decided to believe Jesus when He says that it is through Him alone that we are saved. It is not my choice to be exclusive. But it is my choice to believe what God says. And I personally do not believe in the idea of a personal truth. It just doesn't seem logical that there can be many truths, simply because of our definition of truth.
Truth is truth.
Is is not relative. There is no truth for you, and truth for me. Truth is absolute.
In our world, yellow mixed with blue makes green. That's the truth, no way around it. If you believe that yellow and blue make red, you would be mistaken, no matter how firmly you believe that. You don't have to like that yellow and blue make green, but they do. You don't even have to believe it, but your not believing doesn't make it not true.
Like it or not, it does work that way
Either Jesus is real, and He died on the cross and rose again as the only way to get to Heaven, for everyone in the world, or He did not. And that is what I believe.
To be honest, I don't see how personal truth has any place here. In fact, I will even go so far as to say there is no such thing. In my opinion, personal truth is an oxymoron. I do not believe there are many ways to Heaven. Some people may think there are, but simply thinking that does not make it truth. And you don't have to believe that. Truth does not hinge on anything, it is pure... Truth. You don't have to believe that Jesus offers the only path to live after we die, but simply because some may choose not to believe doesn't mean it's not true, just as my believing doesn't make it true. The choice to not believe in something has no power in and of itself: disbelief in something can't make it true.
You might believe, deep in your heart, that Jesus' death on the cross is not the only means of salvation beyond this earth. But the fact of the matter is, Jesus Himself claims to be the only way, and I believe Him. Either He is or He isn't. Either He can save everyone, or He can save no one. I firmly believe there is no room to believe that He is for me, but not for you.
So, I will try to be bold yet kind as I share, understanding and open yet rooted and unshakable as to what I believe the truth is. For me to keep the truth I have to myself would be selfish. While not shoving it down anyones throat, I want to open a dialogue about what I believe. And I hope to find some good conversations.
11 October 2009
Thanksgivings...
The other day I was admiring a tree on the street that had started to change colour, with beautiful orange leaves. They were bright and colourful, begging to fall and be crunched by feet. The longer I looked, the more details I noticed. Red, oranges, yellows, browns... My initial reaction was "That's so freaking beautiful, I should paint it!" Then, out of nowhere, I could hear or sense the presence of God in that instance, say something along the line of "Thank you, glad you like it too."
At the moment, things are going fairly well for me. I'm "happy" in the worldly sense of the world, things are seemingly on the right track, and I’m healthy... When we are enjoying our lives, I think its praise to God. However, I also know that I may not feel this way tomorrow. I might be hurting or sad, under-the-weather... Tomorrow may bring something tragic or unjust my way. I'm slightly concerned how I will act then... I struggled so long with struggling, and then had to really work to get things going okay, and, now I'm worried about what will happen when things aren't going perfectly. How will I act? When things are going well, I remember to thank God for beautiful flowers, a cozy bedroom I share with a wonderful sister, my amazing friends, Jesus, etc., but sometimes, when the pain is strong and the going is though, I don't really feel like doing those things. In fact, I don't even think about it at all.
It's so much easier to be thankful when things are going pretty well. However, there is so much heartache and pain in this world, it would not be wise to forget that struggles exist, and we also need to be prepared for the hard times--not prepared in that we know they will come, but prepared in that we know what to do when they come. James 1:2 says,
Is that how we typically feel when our lives are in a mess and our world is crashing down around us? I know I don't. So then, how do we do that? How are we supposed to be joyful when going through struggles? I think part of the answer is to be honest with ourselves and with God. The pain is real, and it sure-as-heck hurts. The worst is that sometimes it feels as though there is no purpose behind the pain. I believe (at least I think I do...) that there is a purpose even to the seemingly pointless pain... Perhaps this pain is actually a perfect opportunity to give glory to God. I think of Job, and what Satan said about him... "Job only prasies you (God) because things are going well with him! Take it all away, and see how he will curse you." When things are going badly for us, and we find the strength in us to still praise our Father, I believe this is what brings Him great glory. I think, if we remember glorifying God, it will be a little easier to "thank god in all things".
Happy Thanksgiving!
At the moment, things are going fairly well for me. I'm "happy" in the worldly sense of the world, things are seemingly on the right track, and I’m healthy... When we are enjoying our lives, I think its praise to God. However, I also know that I may not feel this way tomorrow. I might be hurting or sad, under-the-weather... Tomorrow may bring something tragic or unjust my way. I'm slightly concerned how I will act then... I struggled so long with struggling, and then had to really work to get things going okay, and, now I'm worried about what will happen when things aren't going perfectly. How will I act? When things are going well, I remember to thank God for beautiful flowers, a cozy bedroom I share with a wonderful sister, my amazing friends, Jesus, etc., but sometimes, when the pain is strong and the going is though, I don't really feel like doing those things. In fact, I don't even think about it at all.
It's so much easier to be thankful when things are going pretty well. However, there is so much heartache and pain in this world, it would not be wise to forget that struggles exist, and we also need to be prepared for the hard times--not prepared in that we know they will come, but prepared in that we know what to do when they come. James 1:2 says,
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds
Is that how we typically feel when our lives are in a mess and our world is crashing down around us? I know I don't. So then, how do we do that? How are we supposed to be joyful when going through struggles? I think part of the answer is to be honest with ourselves and with God. The pain is real, and it sure-as-heck hurts. The worst is that sometimes it feels as though there is no purpose behind the pain. I believe (at least I think I do...) that there is a purpose even to the seemingly pointless pain... Perhaps this pain is actually a perfect opportunity to give glory to God. I think of Job, and what Satan said about him... "Job only prasies you (God) because things are going well with him! Take it all away, and see how he will curse you." When things are going badly for us, and we find the strength in us to still praise our Father, I believe this is what brings Him great glory. I think, if we remember glorifying God, it will be a little easier to "thank god in all things".
Happy Thanksgiving!
10 October 2009
lol (aka Laugh out Loud)
Philippians 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
I have always heard the term 'laugh therapy' in counselling, and even occasionally with regular doctors. I once heard a story (fact or fiction?) about a lady who was healed by a steady diet of The Three Stooges. Although there isn't very much scientific proof when it comes to laughter as medicine (at least, not that I can find... Want to do some digging, Matt?), researchers are gathering evidence that the way we feel can drastically affect chemical chances in our bodies, influencing everything from our brain to our heart. Laughter is thought to decrease stress and lover blood flow. In my opinion, it may even increase blood flow (which makes sense, right?) and act as a natural pain killer.
Even though this medical stuff is relatively new, King Solomon wrote about it thousands of years ago in Proverbs. "A merry heart does good like medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones."
The Bible says a lot about joy and laughter. As I have been reading over the past few days and weeks, there has been a strong theme in what God has been telling me over and over again... The source of my joy is not to be found in what I own, how much money I have or even how healthy I feel. I could be walking through hell on earth, and according to scripture, I should still be able to lift my hands, sing and rejoice!
The source of my joy is God. He is Good. He is full of grace and love. I find that when I put my trust in Him, even when things don't make sense, I still have peace, I view life from a different perspective, I see things how He sees them and I am able to laugh.
The apostle Paul knew this better than anyone, in my opinion. He was whipped, beaten, tortured, shipwrecked, imprisoned, falsely accused and suffered illness, yet through it all he was able to rejoice. Amazingly, he even wrote the above verse while in imprisoned in a dark, damp and cold jail cell.
The trick of the enemy is to keep focused on the things around us, because he knows that when we do, we take our eyes off God and off the source of our joy. Eventually our strength will fail and we will fall.
Thankfully, my God is the God of second-chances, and He is always there for me, so even when I do fall, I am able to get my head back up, lift my hands and voice, and laugh out loud.
I have always heard the term 'laugh therapy' in counselling, and even occasionally with regular doctors. I once heard a story (fact or fiction?) about a lady who was healed by a steady diet of The Three Stooges. Although there isn't very much scientific proof when it comes to laughter as medicine (at least, not that I can find... Want to do some digging, Matt?), researchers are gathering evidence that the way we feel can drastically affect chemical chances in our bodies, influencing everything from our brain to our heart. Laughter is thought to decrease stress and lover blood flow. In my opinion, it may even increase blood flow (which makes sense, right?) and act as a natural pain killer.
Even though this medical stuff is relatively new, King Solomon wrote about it thousands of years ago in Proverbs. "A merry heart does good like medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones."
The Bible says a lot about joy and laughter. As I have been reading over the past few days and weeks, there has been a strong theme in what God has been telling me over and over again... The source of my joy is not to be found in what I own, how much money I have or even how healthy I feel. I could be walking through hell on earth, and according to scripture, I should still be able to lift my hands, sing and rejoice!
The source of my joy is God. He is Good. He is full of grace and love. I find that when I put my trust in Him, even when things don't make sense, I still have peace, I view life from a different perspective, I see things how He sees them and I am able to laugh.
The apostle Paul knew this better than anyone, in my opinion. He was whipped, beaten, tortured, shipwrecked, imprisoned, falsely accused and suffered illness, yet through it all he was able to rejoice. Amazingly, he even wrote the above verse while in imprisoned in a dark, damp and cold jail cell.
The trick of the enemy is to keep focused on the things around us, because he knows that when we do, we take our eyes off God and off the source of our joy. Eventually our strength will fail and we will fall.
Thankfully, my God is the God of second-chances, and He is always there for me, so even when I do fall, I am able to get my head back up, lift my hands and voice, and laugh out loud.
On a side note, there will be a Thanksgiving post tomorrow at 1 PM prompt!
I will be out cheering my father on as he runs in the marathon, so be thinking
of me as I'm out FREEZING my butt off. :] Stay tuned for more epicness...
05 October 2009
a furious Love...
Usually, I think of 'fury' as an angry word. I associate it with rage, or extreme anger. But, like many words in the English Language, I believe 'fury' or 'furious' can mean something more than just extreme anger. The Compact Oxford Dictionary describes fury as "with great energy or effort" and furious as "full of energy or intensity". In Tremendous Trifles, GK Chesterton wrote of "the furious love of God", and I'm pretty sure he meant "intense energy" rather than rage.
I have experienced God's furious Love. For me, it's the baffling, unexplainable, unexplainable, unfathomable feeling I get at unexpected, yet purposeful times. And, sometimes, I show a furious love for God, especially when the Love that I know and have experienced is questioned. What makes me even more furious (in either sense of the word...?) is when I hear someone teach a skewed view of His Love. This happened at my school recently, where a teacher of a friend suggested a judgemental and manipulative image of the God I love. Perhaps I'll share THAT story another time. Anyway, judgemental or manipulative are not words I'd use to describe Him...
Jesus said "Live in me. Make your home in me as I do in you" (John 15:4, MSG)
Home is usually a word associated with an environment of welcoming love and acceptance, accompanied by signs of affection. His invitation to love is startling, and extremely different to the idea God's Love that I often see taught, and often hear from my non-Christian friends. So frequently I hear people speak of God's love in terms of rules, and their interpretation of Christianity as a formula. So often I have even tried to categorize His Love, make it as tangible as possible, but in the way I have attempted to do that, it limits His compassion, limits who He is to me...
The awesome Love of God has become tangible. It has even become audible. His Love for us is Jesus, who is filled with enduring Love. In Ephesians 3:17-19, Paul prays...
that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.
It took me a few reads, but suddenly, I realized what Paul was saying. The Love of Christ is beyond knowledge. God's Love cannot be understood. I have to let go of all my ideas of God, and be open to the real God. I think THAT is when we will be filled up with the fullness of God.
So many of my previous ideas of God I now realize were so wrong. The wrathful god of alternating moods, the irritated god disgusted with believers, the prejudiced god partial to my church, the warrior god of a 'just' war, the inconsistent god of questionable morality... There are so many ideas of 'god' that I've had over the years, I could go on for ages.
But, for now, I think I've changed my outlook. For today, Von Balthasar's credo rings true to me:
"Love alone is credible"
For today, I believe that the best definition of God is Love. Which leads me to the next questions... What is Love?
Simply put, Love is God, and vice versa. You just can't separate the two.
God is love. 1 John 4:10
I have experienced God's furious Love. For me, it's the baffling, unexplainable, unexplainable, unfathomable feeling I get at unexpected, yet purposeful times. And, sometimes, I show a furious love for God, especially when the Love that I know and have experienced is questioned. What makes me even more furious (in either sense of the word...?) is when I hear someone teach a skewed view of His Love. This happened at my school recently, where a teacher of a friend suggested a judgemental and manipulative image of the God I love. Perhaps I'll share THAT story another time. Anyway, judgemental or manipulative are not words I'd use to describe Him...
Jesus said "Live in me. Make your home in me as I do in you" (John 15:4, MSG)
Home is usually a word associated with an environment of welcoming love and acceptance, accompanied by signs of affection. His invitation to love is startling, and extremely different to the idea God's Love that I often see taught, and often hear from my non-Christian friends. So frequently I hear people speak of God's love in terms of rules, and their interpretation of Christianity as a formula. So often I have even tried to categorize His Love, make it as tangible as possible, but in the way I have attempted to do that, it limits His compassion, limits who He is to me...
The awesome Love of God has become tangible. It has even become audible. His Love for us is Jesus, who is filled with enduring Love. In Ephesians 3:17-19, Paul prays...
that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.
It took me a few reads, but suddenly, I realized what Paul was saying. The Love of Christ is beyond knowledge. God's Love cannot be understood. I have to let go of all my ideas of God, and be open to the real God. I think THAT is when we will be filled up with the fullness of God.
So many of my previous ideas of God I now realize were so wrong. The wrathful god of alternating moods, the irritated god disgusted with believers, the prejudiced god partial to my church, the warrior god of a 'just' war, the inconsistent god of questionable morality... There are so many ideas of 'god' that I've had over the years, I could go on for ages.
But, for now, I think I've changed my outlook. For today, Von Balthasar's credo rings true to me:
"Love alone is credible"
For today, I believe that the best definition of God is Love. Which leads me to the next questions... What is Love?
Simply put, Love is God, and vice versa. You just can't separate the two.
God is love. 1 John 4:10