So I started reading chapter 2 and forgot to blog the final question for chapter 1 after getting over bronchitis, so here it is:
"What might be the drawbacks of having a conversational relationship with God?"
So be honest, there are a ton. Mainly though dealing with our access to God himself. In the Old Testament, from a glance it looks like God had a formulaic relationship with his people. It's not true, but it can be easy to deduce that if just looking at the actions of the people. Do something wrong, kill an animal, and then you're all right with God. Sin, sacrifice, forgiveness, good relationship with God. It seems so simple. And so easy to maintain a good relationship with God. If I follow the easy, laid out, time-tested formula, I'll always have access to the Creator and he will always guide me. In so many ways we latch onto the same view now. Do something wrong, ask for forgiveness from Jesus, and then you're all right with God. True grace has taken a back seat to a parlor trick, a small illusion that wipes away our sins and keeps the status quo. This simple formula keeps our faith lives in a perpetual state of staleness.
And even worse than this is the formula we've made for coming to "know" Christ. All men have sinned. All have fallen short of the glory of God. Jesus was God and was perfect and died for your sins so you could get to Heaven. All you have to do is confess you're a sinner, receive forgiveness....and you make into Heaven! We preach it to others in hope that they'll start living in the "joy" we have too. Yet it's a bunch of crap. While we've gotten so many things right with theology, we've missed the point. Our goal, Christ's goal, was not to "get us into Heaven"; rather it was help us into a right relationship with God. We've made a formula to get into Heaven and we follow it so closely. And it makes a relationship worthless because relationships are hard. Formulas are easy.
We've gotten it wrong; I've gotten it wrong. And I know it. I've known it for a long time. Formulas are easy, relationships are hard. And in so many ways I still live out a formula faith daily. If I do enough or if I lead enough, God will speak to me. If I know enough of the Scriptures or if I have the right thinking about God then he will speak to me. Or if I spend at least three days of the week in "quiet times" God will speak to me. I've lived this way for years, approaching God with formulas. Again, it's not to say any of these things are wrong (God knows I need quiet times to silence my own voice), but with everything in our lives the motives behind our movements are what matter. Do I go through these motions to dive deeper into a relationship with Christ because they are actions that flow freely from a heart that desires intimacy; or am I yet again attempting to earn my way into his grace, hoping to hear a word from the almighty that confirms I am righteously living inside his will? I don't know. But I know two things: a true conversational relationship with God is always harder than a formulaic approach to God, but it is always better.
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Paradox of Hearing God
So question number 1 from chapter 1 of Hearing God is: What is the paradox about hearing God?
The paradox that Willard discusses concerning hearing from God has so many parts. On one side of the paradox is the belief held by so many Christians that hearing from God is a vital component of any faith-filled life. We, well so many of us, see how common it is throughout scripture and we firmly desire it to be real in our lives How many times I have cried out to God, longing to hear his voice, to have him communicate to me. We long to hear God. We long to have his truth clearly spoken into our hearts and to know beyond a shadow of a doubt how to walk in his will. Yes, we long to hear from God.
On the other side though is the fact that we don't truly understand God's speaking to us. We don't understand fully how he communicates to us. Many of us have become saddened or even depressed when a leader declares from the pulpit he has heard from God, yet our own lives are void of God's voice. Maybe he hasn't spoken because he knew it would screw us up because, while our desire to hear him is sincere, our understanding of his speaking is not clear. Maybe he has spoken and we did not know it was him. Is it God or my own sub-conscience? Like Gideon, many of us question God even while he stand directly in front of us, speaking to us so clearly. On this side of the paradox also lies our distrust of those who have claimed God spoke to them only to be proven wrong. Hearing from God has been so manipulated by leaders that it has messed with our thinking concerning the matter. We turn away when yet another leader proclaims he has been given a revelation from the Lord, for we know he is a phoney.
This paradox-our desire to hear God and yet our misunderstanding of God's voice- keeps God at bay in our lives. The Lord speaks to us in relationship and his voice takes many forms, but it is only heard and understood while in relationship with him. This paradox serves as a chasm separating us from him. We long to know God, to hear from him, but this confusion only grows the distance between us. And so we give up, retiring to our lives of religion and formulas, still hoping God will speak but fully believing he is silent.
"Why is it that when we speak to God we are said to be praying but when God speaks to us we are said to be schizophrenic?"
-Lily Tomlin
The paradox that Willard discusses concerning hearing from God has so many parts. On one side of the paradox is the belief held by so many Christians that hearing from God is a vital component of any faith-filled life. We, well so many of us, see how common it is throughout scripture and we firmly desire it to be real in our lives How many times I have cried out to God, longing to hear his voice, to have him communicate to me. We long to hear God. We long to have his truth clearly spoken into our hearts and to know beyond a shadow of a doubt how to walk in his will. Yes, we long to hear from God.
On the other side though is the fact that we don't truly understand God's speaking to us. We don't understand fully how he communicates to us. Many of us have become saddened or even depressed when a leader declares from the pulpit he has heard from God, yet our own lives are void of God's voice. Maybe he hasn't spoken because he knew it would screw us up because, while our desire to hear him is sincere, our understanding of his speaking is not clear. Maybe he has spoken and we did not know it was him. Is it God or my own sub-conscience? Like Gideon, many of us question God even while he stand directly in front of us, speaking to us so clearly. On this side of the paradox also lies our distrust of those who have claimed God spoke to them only to be proven wrong. Hearing from God has been so manipulated by leaders that it has messed with our thinking concerning the matter. We turn away when yet another leader proclaims he has been given a revelation from the Lord, for we know he is a phoney.
This paradox-our desire to hear God and yet our misunderstanding of God's voice- keeps God at bay in our lives. The Lord speaks to us in relationship and his voice takes many forms, but it is only heard and understood while in relationship with him. This paradox serves as a chasm separating us from him. We long to know God, to hear from him, but this confusion only grows the distance between us. And so we give up, retiring to our lives of religion and formulas, still hoping God will speak but fully believing he is silent.
"Why is it that when we speak to God we are said to be praying but when God speaks to us we are said to be schizophrenic?"
-Lily Tomlin
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
'Hearing God' by Dallas Willard
Okay, so I've finally decided to start blogging again. I know. Crazy. It's been a while since I've written anything significant. So I thought I would start back with some thoughts on the most recent book I've been reading. My mentor, Clay Anderson, handed me a book last Thursday night after dinner at his house called 'Hearing God' by Dallas Willard. First, Willard is a fantastic author and an amazing mind. Second, he is way smarter than I am. I am so thankful that at the end of his chapters he has a number of questions that make you reexamine everything you've just read. So over the next few months I'll be diving into this book and answering the questions on this blog. I don't exactly have the smartest views of these things, but he does make me think; and aren't blogs supposed to be filled with personal opinions anyways? I've been reading the book for almost a week and have read the first chapter three times. I know. Wow. So each day I think I'll post my response to a single question posed by Willard, which means if you're tracking this right, it'll only make it about a chapter a week. So nine weeks of blogging about a single book. Now that's a wow statement.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Christianity Takes Community
Yesterday, after a two week hiatus for my wedding and honeymoon, I finally made it back to church. And I loved it. Walking through the doors, my new wife next to me, my ears resounded with the sound of my good friend welcoming both Clare and I back from our vacation, by using the microphone and the other 100 people around him, all clapping and shouting. It shocked me for a second, the sudden recognition from the man in the spotlight, but then felt good. This was Life Church after all; stuff like this just happens, and it makes for a fun Sunday. Clare and I, after hugging what seemed like three dozen people (it was probably 6) took our seats next to another couple we both deeply love and admire. We chatted for a couple minutes only to find ourselves back out of our chairs as the music began and did not let up for a whole half hour. It was awesome! I was reminded of why I love this church so much. Looking around me, my eyes saw members of the body of Christ dancing, holding their hands up to their Creator, and singing their hearts out as we worshipped collectively. The unpolished and raw nature of the band establishes a sweet environment for authentic worship, hearts presented to God in a real way. The body of Christ, loving Christ together.
When our pastor Mark finally got up to give his message, I was pretty pumped up. Then I got even more pumped when I realized his sermon, and all sermons for the next five weeks, were about community. Community is a developing passion of mine, continually deepening and growing the more I am immersed in it. The topic yesterday was "why we need each other," which seems a little elementary, but looking at our culture today it's pretty evident this topic is grossly overlooked. So I want, with a little stolen from Mark Miller, to revisit this topic here.
The United States of America's population is 307 million people. Facebook, the world's largest social networking site, just reached 300 million people. Just two months ago, the population was 250 million, which puts growth at more than 800,000 new members everyday. Their population stretches across all continents (with one exception; sorry big ice sheet in the south), with about 70% of members being from outside the U.S. While it is much easier to join the nation of Facebook than any other nation on this planet, this kind of statistical growth anywhere is unheard of, dare I say impossible. To what do we owe this outstretching of our connectedness? The answer is simple: loneliness. We as a people, especially Americans, are the loneliest people who have ever walked the face of this planet, collectively that is. According to a recent study, 25% of Americans say they have no one in their life with whom they can discuss matters of personal importance. We are so disconnected from others in real life, so disjointed from other humans in the flesh that we feel the need to live vicariously through our online selfs. Facebook is great; I'm on it everyday. It keeps me updated on what is going on in the lives of others I do not see everyday, but to use it as a substitute for friendship is disturbing. Especially when seen through the eyes of Christianity.
The church is a community. It is built on Christ, made up of Christians, all living life together. Celebrating, grieving, loving, forgiving. Serving, creating, praising, rejoicing. Life together. All parts of it, all out in the open. Paul, in his letter to the Romans, reminded us of this when he said that "Since we are all one body in Christ, we belong to each other, and each of us needs all the others." We are all one. We are all common and we are all in unity. Common unity. Community. And we all belong to each other, which means we share ownership of each others' lives. We all have a stake in our lives and the life of the church. We all share in the celebration and the grief of the family. We all share in the service and forgiveness of the family. God created us to live with each other, not in isolation. No man is an island. We're all a part of this community and we all need it, lest the church becomes just another Facebook nation, another online culture lacking any semblance of deep and genuine connectedness.
Having just gotten married, I now am starting to see more and more the importance of community life. My wife sees me all the time; when I'm at my worst and when I'm at my shining best. It kind of freaks me out every once and a while. I know that will only continue. And we'll struggle and fight and makeup and love each other. But my hope is that I surround myself with other men and women, confidants who I can trust, that will challenge me to love my wife more each day, to serve her and give myself up for her. Christianity takes community. And I am glad. Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote in Life Together, "Christian brotherhood is not an ideal which we must realize; it is rather a reality created by God in Christ in which we may participate." What a joy community is and can be when we consider who created it and the purpose behind it. Thank you God.
When our pastor Mark finally got up to give his message, I was pretty pumped up. Then I got even more pumped when I realized his sermon, and all sermons for the next five weeks, were about community. Community is a developing passion of mine, continually deepening and growing the more I am immersed in it. The topic yesterday was "why we need each other," which seems a little elementary, but looking at our culture today it's pretty evident this topic is grossly overlooked. So I want, with a little stolen from Mark Miller, to revisit this topic here.
The United States of America's population is 307 million people. Facebook, the world's largest social networking site, just reached 300 million people. Just two months ago, the population was 250 million, which puts growth at more than 800,000 new members everyday. Their population stretches across all continents (with one exception; sorry big ice sheet in the south), with about 70% of members being from outside the U.S. While it is much easier to join the nation of Facebook than any other nation on this planet, this kind of statistical growth anywhere is unheard of, dare I say impossible. To what do we owe this outstretching of our connectedness? The answer is simple: loneliness. We as a people, especially Americans, are the loneliest people who have ever walked the face of this planet, collectively that is. According to a recent study, 25% of Americans say they have no one in their life with whom they can discuss matters of personal importance. We are so disconnected from others in real life, so disjointed from other humans in the flesh that we feel the need to live vicariously through our online selfs. Facebook is great; I'm on it everyday. It keeps me updated on what is going on in the lives of others I do not see everyday, but to use it as a substitute for friendship is disturbing. Especially when seen through the eyes of Christianity.
The church is a community. It is built on Christ, made up of Christians, all living life together. Celebrating, grieving, loving, forgiving. Serving, creating, praising, rejoicing. Life together. All parts of it, all out in the open. Paul, in his letter to the Romans, reminded us of this when he said that "Since we are all one body in Christ, we belong to each other, and each of us needs all the others." We are all one. We are all common and we are all in unity. Common unity. Community. And we all belong to each other, which means we share ownership of each others' lives. We all have a stake in our lives and the life of the church. We all share in the celebration and the grief of the family. We all share in the service and forgiveness of the family. God created us to live with each other, not in isolation. No man is an island. We're all a part of this community and we all need it, lest the church becomes just another Facebook nation, another online culture lacking any semblance of deep and genuine connectedness.
Having just gotten married, I now am starting to see more and more the importance of community life. My wife sees me all the time; when I'm at my worst and when I'm at my shining best. It kind of freaks me out every once and a while. I know that will only continue. And we'll struggle and fight and makeup and love each other. But my hope is that I surround myself with other men and women, confidants who I can trust, that will challenge me to love my wife more each day, to serve her and give myself up for her. Christianity takes community. And I am glad. Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote in Life Together, "Christian brotherhood is not an ideal which we must realize; it is rather a reality created by God in Christ in which we may participate." What a joy community is and can be when we consider who created it and the purpose behind it. Thank you God.
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