So It's Time...
...to revive the old blog... Maybe...
I read a brief commentary today: Batman Dies in a Car Accident.
Denison raises a couple good questions in this commentary - one he answers, one goes unanswered, both are valid.
The answered question is: Do we believe God's character varies because of our circumstances? And he answers with a resounding "no." Even when prayers seem unanswered*, even when it seems like things are going badly, life is falling apart, God is still God: still holy, still loving**, still grace-giving, still righteous, still inscrutable, still intimate, still present.
Yeah. Not at all like us. I get it. That's why the other question goes unanswered. Because we are so not like God. We allow circumstances to sometimes dictate not only our responses, but our very character - who acts differently in church than they do at the gym, at a football game, at their best friend's house, at a stranger's house? And it's not even just about "acting" but that chameleon-like ability we have to "be" different people in different situations.
Denison tells this story (credit to him, I'm just copying and pasting):
Then he ends with this question, the unanswered question:
Don't let that remain unanswered.
* Yeah, you know what's coming, unanswered is sometimes "no" but we don't have the faith to discern the difference. So we blame God for not answering our prayers - as if that has ever happened in the whole history of the world. Sometimes God delays, sometimes God says no...
**In fact God's essential character is love.
I read a brief commentary today: Batman Dies in a Car Accident.
Denison raises a couple good questions in this commentary - one he answers, one goes unanswered, both are valid.
The answered question is: Do we believe God's character varies because of our circumstances? And he answers with a resounding "no." Even when prayers seem unanswered*, even when it seems like things are going badly, life is falling apart, God is still God: still holy, still loving**, still grace-giving, still righteous, still inscrutable, still intimate, still present.
Yeah. Not at all like us. I get it. That's why the other question goes unanswered. Because we are so not like God. We allow circumstances to sometimes dictate not only our responses, but our very character - who acts differently in church than they do at the gym, at a football game, at their best friend's house, at a stranger's house? And it's not even just about "acting" but that chameleon-like ability we have to "be" different people in different situations.
Denison tells this story (credit to him, I'm just copying and pasting):
A priest told a beggar, "God give you a good day, my friend." The beggar answered, "I thank God I have never had a bad one." The priest said, "God give you a happy life, my friend." "I thank God," said the beggar, "I am never unhappy."
The amazed priest asked, "What do you mean?"
"Well," said the beggar, "When it is good weather, I thank God; when it rains, I thank God; when I have food, I thank God; when I am hungry, I thank God. Since God's will is my will, and whatever pleases him pleases me, I am happy always."
The priest looked at the beggar in astonishment. "Who are you?" he asked. "I am a king," said the beggar. "Where is your kingdom?" The beggar answered quietly, "In my heart."
Then he ends with this question, the unanswered question:
Where is your kingdom today?
Don't let that remain unanswered.
* Yeah, you know what's coming, unanswered is sometimes "no" but we don't have the faith to discern the difference. So we blame God for not answering our prayers - as if that has ever happened in the whole history of the world. Sometimes God delays, sometimes God says no...
**In fact God's essential character is love.
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