quotpourri

The gospel is so simple that simple children can understand it, and it is so profound that studies by the wisest theologians will never exhaust its riches.

Charles Hodge

misunderstanding

So, I've been wrestling with this thought for several weeks but (until now?) have not been able to come up with the concise expression I wanted. The idea is this: I've been a believer for a long time now, and while God has brought me a long way from the mire that was my life without Him, He is showing me areas of my life where I thought I had improved (whatever that means) but haven't, at least not as much as I might like. To illustrate, let me pick on some great passages of Scripture.

I've long known that if one stands on the street corner in downtown America and asks various people, "Do you know a verse from the Bible?" the answer will often be "yes," and frequently the known verse will be John 3:16. Many can recite it, but therein lies a frustration: It rolls off the tongue with little or no thought as to the enormity of what is being expressed. Even (or maybe especially) the first six words: "For God so loved the world..." Because we can so easily say it without hearing what we are saying, when I want to share God's love with someone, I like to point them to Romans 5:6-10, and expecially verse 8, which expresses basically the same idea as that fabulous verse in the Gospel of John.

One can get to know something (or someone) so well that it is taken for granted, not appreciated or no longer valued as it should be.

Now, consider another well-known passage of Scripture:

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.

Proverbs 3:5,6 (NASB)

I have known and loved these verses for a long, long, long, long time now, but recently it came to me just how much I do lean on my understanding in so many things. To lean on one's own understanding (may I say, knowledge) lies in opposition to the walk of faith which is pleasing to God. As Henri Nouwen said,

I often wonder if my knowledge about God has not become my greatest stumbling block to my knowledge of God.

I need Him to show me where the value and pursuit of knowledge necessarily ends (or better, yields to) the heart-felt faith and trust which is the basis for living dependently on Him.

Understanding and control are sought-after commodities in this world; we think that they are our best, or perhaps only, defense against the myriad problems and trials that characterize life on this earth. Always, the world is upside down from God's plan and way; "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways."  (Isaiah 55:8)  He may not calm the storm (although He can,) but he can calm my heart and fears and anxiety in the midst of any storm.  "But I need help, not platitudes!"  As has been said, let go and let God.

Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand.

Augustine

mom's the word

I just felt like I wanted to say "Happy Mother's Day," not only to my wife, the mother of my children, but to others as well.  My own mother went home to be with the Lord in 1986; I do miss her.  My wife's mother lives next door to us, and she is a dear lady--one more way that I consider myself so blessed.

An old Jewish proverb goes:

God could not be everywhere and therefore he made mothers.

Erroneous theology, but hey, I love the sentiment!  So, Happy Mother's Day!

more sand

Sometimes I amaze myself.  What I mean by that is despite whatever I've learned (or re-learned) or how much I've grown (or better, how much God has grown me,) I still encounter amazing pockets of foolishness and even stupidity within myself.  Sometimes I think that the only real improvement is in more quickly recognizing and acknowledging these things.

Recently I've come to recognize more clearly the erroneous dependencies I have on people around me. Resumption of writing this blog has been one of the big eye-openers; also, the behavior of some that I have had high regard for, and my associated reactions, has been unsettling.  The ongoing change at my church has also served to highlight some of this for me.  As I have written, I believe that this is an inevitable result of not keeping or having our eyes fixed on Jesus.

Anyway, here is another quote relevant to this subtle selfishness.

You must not lose confidence in God because you lost confidence in your pastor. If our confidence in God had to depend upon our confidence in any human person, we would be on shifting sand.

Francis Schaeffer