Hey all, I have not posted in a while.
Today I was asked the question, "What is God doing in your life?" This person then told me that he believed God is always doing "new" things, which I believe, but in my opinion they are not really "new", they are the same sort that God has always done, "renewed" in different ways for different times, for different people.
The question is a reasonable question, but very difficult for me to answer, because I realized that there is no simple answer for that question, unless I want to give a rehearsed response, which benefits no one. So I proceeded to give a rehearsed response.
What I want to say though is, "I have no idea!" but I of course come up with an answer. It is not that I don't know what God is doing, but answering a question like that is the same as asking, "What is life all about?" When I determine to know what God is about, I lose the mystery, and therefore will become complacent. The only culture's that would ask those questions are culture's that want answers, not a completely whole new way of living. I should say, "That will take me about five to six days of eight hour a day conversations to tell you, so I'll meet you tomorrow at 8:00 a.m., sound good?"
I believe in order to know what God is doing we have to be involved with the people to whom we are asking the questions. Asking the question in the first place already means that we do not know that person. I can see clear ways that God is involved in the lives of my friends and can name distinctly over the past year ways that God has enabled them to impact the world in amazing ways.
I sometimes want to ask the question, "What is community all about?" In Christianity, doesn't there have to come a choosing of those things which no one else would have chosen. We have a strong "merit" based system where "hard work" pays off, but throughout history, God has chosen those things which would never appear to be the best. It of course does not mean that they aren't, but they specifically do not fit into our paradigm, so we write them off.
4 comments:
Sometimes that question is the Christian way of saying, "How are you doing?" The person asking does not care what the answer is, they are asking to be nice and they want to sounds clever by asking a thought provoking "Christian" question.
On the other hand, the person could have been asking a legitimate question about what God is doing in your life. If that is the case, then what is God doing in your life? I think that this is a wonderful question that we should all ask ourselves. You are right, it is very similar to asking, "What is the meaning of life?" This, too, is a question that we should ask ourselves. The former, though, after we have chosen Christ, is the question we should be asking ourselves. If you feel that God is doing nothing in your life, then you are clearly not paying attention. If you are paying attention, then you realize that God is doing everything in your life. If you overanalyze the question, then it may take you 5-6 8 hour sessions to get through it. ;)
In regards to the last part of your blog, the merit based system is very hard to get away from. For example, if you were pastor of a church and a guy came to you and asked if he could lead a bible study in your church, what would be the merit system that would allow you to allow him to lead a bible study. Let's say that this is your area of oversight at your church. Would you use his personal testimony as merit? Would you use his looks? Would you use his police record? What merit system would you use to choose to allow him to lead a bible study under your leadership?
I agree that the person WAS asking a legitimate question, because he cares. I am always wanting people to start to think critically, because we have assumed way too much in our Christianity and our daily lives. (self-reflection)
Why is it bad to take 5-6, 8 hour sessions to get through it?
It is not about analyzing, it is about dialogue, forming friendships. I hope that we talk to our wives that much. If we look at how much we see other Christians during our week, most will say, "No, I don't see any other Christians during the week, that is what Church is for."
I think the Apostle Paul would disagree. I don't think Paul thought that Church was a "building", but the reconstituted people of God, centered "In Christ" living in the midst of communities.
The reason also that I said things about merit, is to allow us to try to understand that God chooses the people or things which appear to be useless, miniscule, small, weak to bring about his covenant purposes, i.e. Israel and Jesus.
Remember when the one disciple said to the other disciple (Jn. 1:46)"Can anything come good out of Nazareth...?"
I think that we should remember that we were once those without mercy, but have now received mercy, (I Peter) so we exhibit that mercy to all.
Also, what makes some pastors have "merit" to lead the congregations? It isn't the fact that most studied more, isn't the fact that they know what scripture say's and means, it isn't based on the fact that they are more loving; it is probably because God chose them (us) because of his covenant purposes.
It is about participating with Christ in what is happening in the earth, right now. Word, Peace.
There is a ton of scripture to back up what you are saying about God taking the lesser things of this world and using them for the higher calling of His kingdom. It is true that too often we are like the children of Israel looking to Saul as their king because he was a head taller than the rest rather than looking at the heart, like God does. That is one of the reasons i like the Calvary Chapel system so much. Many of the pastors of their churches haven't had any formal bible training but they are leading churches of hundreds, if not thousands, of people. Clearly, God is working mightily in their lives and His kingdom is being advanced. i know that i have learned so much from the pastors at Calvary and from the Calvary Satellite Network (CSN International). Wouldn't you say that you support a system like Calvary has set up?
The statement you made, "Wouldn't you say that you support a system like Calvary has set up?
I absolutely believe that probably most of the pastors broadcast on the Calvary Chapel Network were called by God for his purposes, to redeem creation, preach the gospel, etc...
The issues that I have with Calvary is how much some of the pastors, are dealing with issues in their own lives, but "project" it upon the congregations. There is also a huge lack of understanding of what 1st century Judaism was all about, as well as what the Roman Empire actually did in their practices with early Christians.
The sermons which I have heard basically see Christianity as present day and future, but have never addressed the traditions of the past in an attempt to explain how they have formulated our current practices, and formulation of our ideas about God.
I also did not have any formal training, but because I cared deeply about what I was teaching and the people whom I was teaching, before I came to Seminary, I did not want to impose my own "stuff" onto other people. That is one of the reasons I study so much, analyze, think, pray, seek the Lord, so that I can be sensitive to what God is doing with people in the world.
I think scripture shows that just because God calls someone to ministry, they do not always participate in what God is doing, but also understanding that God's grace is magnificent in all our lives.
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