My Reflection
Standing in the mirror getting ready for the day I feel as if I am applying my façade. I look up and tell myself how old, how inadequate, how ugly a reflection I see. Not just on the outside but on the inside too.
Then I ask, “How God? How can you as almighty as you are love me? How can you continue to have confidence in me?”
Then suddenly my daughter comes beaming around the corner and says, “Mom, may I borrow your eye liner?”
As I watch her applying liner by my side I am filled with awe. Although I have just moments before scolded her for running late and not planning ahead, she doesn’t back away but joins me in our preparation for the day.
She is beautiful! She is a part of me. She is a part of my husband. She is a part of God!
Then I am reminded. That’s how He does it. That’s how He loves me. As a mother loves her child, unconditionally.
Loving you with the love of Christ,
Nelle
September 29,2009
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Sunday, September 27, 2009
YHWH beats shiva, Every time
How's that belief system working for you?
The truth is simple; it's the lies that are complicated. Challenge: when you feel the most hopeless, say out loud, "Jesus Christ of Nazareth, help me. God, give me the faith to believe." That's it. That's all you have to say.
I'm not talking about the evangelical movement, or political affiliation, or doctrine, or dogma, blah, blah, blah. I'm talking about your getting real with the one Person who can give you hope and get you unstuck. No strings attached.
This eastern religion/new age/lemur ancestry/occultism will eff your sh*t up, and maybe it already has done. I can say this to you because I have been there. Majored in English and Philosophy, got grad school degrees, blah, blah, blah. And still wanted to frickin die everyday, because a person needs HOPE to live.
(Concept of SHIVA in Hinduism, that DEATH wins over all life in the end). Take it from one who knows, it does not have to be that way. You have a choice, and only you can make it.
I don't typically proselytize because I am completely disgusted with the hypocrisy of "mainstream Christianity" and its congregations full of superficial showdogs. That's not for me. I hate superficial relationships and choose not to have them.
But when I feel a kinship with a genuine person, like those who read this blog, then I care. That's why you're being lectured to rather sternly at the moment. I care. I really, really do.
So if you are ready to live in every sense of the word, then man up, and say two simple sentences. "Jesus Christ of Nazareth, help me. God, give me the faith to believe." That's it. That's all you have to say.
Someone stronger than you are will do the rest.
Guaranteed. Way it is.
The truth is simple; it's the lies that are complicated. Challenge: when you feel the most hopeless, say out loud, "Jesus Christ of Nazareth, help me. God, give me the faith to believe." That's it. That's all you have to say.
I'm not talking about the evangelical movement, or political affiliation, or doctrine, or dogma, blah, blah, blah. I'm talking about your getting real with the one Person who can give you hope and get you unstuck. No strings attached.
This eastern religion/new age/lemur ancestry/occultism will eff your sh*t up, and maybe it already has done. I can say this to you because I have been there. Majored in English and Philosophy, got grad school degrees, blah, blah, blah. And still wanted to frickin die everyday, because a person needs HOPE to live.
(Concept of SHIVA in Hinduism, that DEATH wins over all life in the end). Take it from one who knows, it does not have to be that way. You have a choice, and only you can make it.
I don't typically proselytize because I am completely disgusted with the hypocrisy of "mainstream Christianity" and its congregations full of superficial showdogs. That's not for me. I hate superficial relationships and choose not to have them.
But when I feel a kinship with a genuine person, like those who read this blog, then I care. That's why you're being lectured to rather sternly at the moment. I care. I really, really do.
So if you are ready to live in every sense of the word, then man up, and say two simple sentences. "Jesus Christ of Nazareth, help me. God, give me the faith to believe." That's it. That's all you have to say.
Someone stronger than you are will do the rest.
Guaranteed. Way it is.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
EvanHELLical
If you ever read my story you'll note that I came to know Jesus, in spite of, not because of His followers.
The Bible calls Jesus Christ of Nazareth the Great Physician and the Good Shepherd. Reflecting back on my church experiences, I realize this is intentional on God's part; this believer is covered with third degree scorch marks, the majority of them aquired from being burned by religious folk. (And I'm not talking about Buddhists, Hindus, or Bahai's. I am talking about self-proclaimed evangelical Christians.)
Having watched my fair share of animal documentaries, I can honestly say I have never seen wild animals turn and tear each other to pieces with the pure bloodlust and zeal with which Christians attack each other.
Interestingly, Christians attack with subtlety, mostly via remarks and rules that are shame-based. From what I've read of the New Testament, Jesus invites those without sin themselves to cast stones.
Word to the smug: if you're going to cast stones, you'd better bring back-up, because not everyone is going to roll over and play dead.
Christians who mistake me for the weak member of the herd, for example, bring it. You can blacklist me from your church, shun me socially, and even--in the case of formerly longstanding friends--give me the silent treatment; after that, present your victory at the altar.
I wonder how God feels about seeing someone He has invited into His temple for healing being hastened to their death? Wonder how he feels about the perfect people rejecting brothers and sisters because we have failed to live up to their expectations?
The metaphor that comes to mind is the Protestant church as the Roman Coliseum: bring us the lost, the unbelievers, the unsaved, and let them watch--and even participate themselves--as we rip each other to shreds, and congratulate ourselves over lunch after the show.
I'll never be done with Jesus. He is the reason I've survived this long. But I'm pretty sure I'm done with Evangelicals.
I can't seem to find an unscorched square inch of skin. Next...
The Bible calls Jesus Christ of Nazareth the Great Physician and the Good Shepherd. Reflecting back on my church experiences, I realize this is intentional on God's part; this believer is covered with third degree scorch marks, the majority of them aquired from being burned by religious folk. (And I'm not talking about Buddhists, Hindus, or Bahai's. I am talking about self-proclaimed evangelical Christians.)
Having watched my fair share of animal documentaries, I can honestly say I have never seen wild animals turn and tear each other to pieces with the pure bloodlust and zeal with which Christians attack each other.
Interestingly, Christians attack with subtlety, mostly via remarks and rules that are shame-based. From what I've read of the New Testament, Jesus invites those without sin themselves to cast stones.
Word to the smug: if you're going to cast stones, you'd better bring back-up, because not everyone is going to roll over and play dead.
Christians who mistake me for the weak member of the herd, for example, bring it. You can blacklist me from your church, shun me socially, and even--in the case of formerly longstanding friends--give me the silent treatment; after that, present your victory at the altar.
I wonder how God feels about seeing someone He has invited into His temple for healing being hastened to their death? Wonder how he feels about the perfect people rejecting brothers and sisters because we have failed to live up to their expectations?
The metaphor that comes to mind is the Protestant church as the Roman Coliseum: bring us the lost, the unbelievers, the unsaved, and let them watch--and even participate themselves--as we rip each other to shreds, and congratulate ourselves over lunch after the show.
I'll never be done with Jesus. He is the reason I've survived this long. But I'm pretty sure I'm done with Evangelicals.
I can't seem to find an unscorched square inch of skin. Next...
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
The Message (MSG)
Matthew 9:11-13 (The Message)
10-11Later when Jesus was eating supper at Matthew's house with his close followers, a lot of disreputable characters came and joined them. When the Pharisees saw him keeping this kind of company, they had a fit, and lit into Jesus' followers. "What kind of example is this from your Teacher, acting cozy with crooks and riffraff?"
12-13Jesus, overhearing, shot back, "Who needs a doctor: the healthy or the sick? Go figure out what this Scripture means: 'I'm after mercy, not religion.' I'm here to invite outsiders, not coddle insiders."
Matthew 9:11-13 (The Message)
10-11Later when Jesus was eating supper at Matthew's house with his close followers, a lot of disreputable characters came and joined them. When the Pharisees saw him keeping this kind of company, they had a fit, and lit into Jesus' followers. "What kind of example is this from your Teacher, acting cozy with crooks and riffraff?"
12-13Jesus, overhearing, shot back, "Who needs a doctor: the healthy or the sick? Go figure out what this Scripture means: 'I'm after mercy, not religion.' I'm here to invite outsiders, not coddle insiders."
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Abandonment
For several weeks, I’ve been meeting with the Lord over The Message’s translation of Psalm 40.
Perhaps the hardest part of belonging to God is deciding to lay down the right to defend ourselves [in the flesh], when people are mean.
In Psalm 40, King David calls on us to “abandon ourselves to God” and “enter the mystery.”
I’ve been meditating on the meaning of abandonment. We can abandon all hope, we can abandon spouse or children, we can abandon jobs. What does it mean to abandon something or someone?
To give up the rights to, to deliberately fail to defend, to deliberately refuse to provide for. If we are incapable of defending someone, that’s not abandonment. If we are somehow incapacitated, we can neglect others or ourselves. But abandonment implies a deliberate choice to give up something.
As ministers of the gospel, we are called to make a deliberate and conscious choice to abandon ourselves to God. The mystery King David references is what happens when we abandon ourselves to God [give up our right to defend ourselves, to be ambitious for ourselves], and in so doing, we find we are safer because God is our defender.
He will not be moved. He will not be defeated. He will overcome.
That’s why Jesus tells us to pray for those who persecute us; those folks need our prayers because they are not striving with us, they have to deal with our Big Daddy, Who is God Almighty. In Isaiah, God tells us, His people, “He who touches you touches the apple of my eye.”
We know how quick we are to defend our children when they are threatened. Imagine how quickly then God will jump to our defense, even if we cannot see Him doing so.
We need to get out of God’s way, and let Him do the defending.
That requires trust, and self-control that is beyond my fleshly ability. The Holy Spirit must empower me to do so.
Let’s pray that the Holy Spirit will reinforce our trust in God by reminding us daily of how God has come to our rescue in the past, and how God has never failed us in the present. In other words, “Lord, I believe, help my unbelief. Amen.”
Perhaps the hardest part of belonging to God is deciding to lay down the right to defend ourselves [in the flesh], when people are mean.
In Psalm 40, King David calls on us to “abandon ourselves to God” and “enter the mystery.”
I’ve been meditating on the meaning of abandonment. We can abandon all hope, we can abandon spouse or children, we can abandon jobs. What does it mean to abandon something or someone?
To give up the rights to, to deliberately fail to defend, to deliberately refuse to provide for. If we are incapable of defending someone, that’s not abandonment. If we are somehow incapacitated, we can neglect others or ourselves. But abandonment implies a deliberate choice to give up something.
As ministers of the gospel, we are called to make a deliberate and conscious choice to abandon ourselves to God. The mystery King David references is what happens when we abandon ourselves to God [give up our right to defend ourselves, to be ambitious for ourselves], and in so doing, we find we are safer because God is our defender.
He will not be moved. He will not be defeated. He will overcome.
That’s why Jesus tells us to pray for those who persecute us; those folks need our prayers because they are not striving with us, they have to deal with our Big Daddy, Who is God Almighty. In Isaiah, God tells us, His people, “He who touches you touches the apple of my eye.”
We know how quick we are to defend our children when they are threatened. Imagine how quickly then God will jump to our defense, even if we cannot see Him doing so.
We need to get out of God’s way, and let Him do the defending.
That requires trust, and self-control that is beyond my fleshly ability. The Holy Spirit must empower me to do so.
Let’s pray that the Holy Spirit will reinforce our trust in God by reminding us daily of how God has come to our rescue in the past, and how God has never failed us in the present. In other words, “Lord, I believe, help my unbelief. Amen.”
Monday, July 6, 2009
Enter the Mystery
Psalm 40 (The Message)
A David Psalm
1-3 I waited and waited and waited for GOD. At last he looked; finally he listened.
He lifted me out of the ditch,
pulled me from deep mud.
He stood me up on a solid rock
to make sure I wouldn't slip.
He taught me how to sing the latest God-song,
a praise-song to our God.
More and more people are seeing this:
they enter the mystery,
abandoning themselves to GOD. 4-5 Blessed are you who give yourselves over to GOD,
turn your backs on the world's "sure thing,"
ignore what the world worships;
The world's a huge stockpile
of GOD-wonders and God-thoughts.
Nothing and no one
comes close to you!
A David Psalm
1-3 I waited and waited and waited for GOD. At last he looked; finally he listened.
He lifted me out of the ditch,
pulled me from deep mud.
He stood me up on a solid rock
to make sure I wouldn't slip.
He taught me how to sing the latest God-song,
a praise-song to our God.
More and more people are seeing this:
they enter the mystery,
abandoning themselves to GOD. 4-5 Blessed are you who give yourselves over to GOD,
turn your backs on the world's "sure thing,"
ignore what the world worships;
The world's a huge stockpile
of GOD-wonders and God-thoughts.
Nothing and no one
comes close to you!
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Isaiah 40:31 (The Message)
27-31Why would you ever complain, O Jacob,
or, whine, Israel, saying,
"God has lost track of me.
He doesn't care what happens to me"?
Don't you know anything? Haven't you been listening?
God doesn't come and go. God lasts.
He's Creator of all you can see or imagine.
He doesn't get tired out, doesn't pause to catch his breath.
And he knows everything, inside and out.
He energizes those who get tired,
gives fresh strength to dropouts.
For even young people tire and drop out,
young folk in their prime stumble and fall.
But those who wait upon God get fresh strength.
27-31Why would you ever complain, O Jacob,
or, whine, Israel, saying,
"God has lost track of me.
He doesn't care what happens to me"?
Don't you know anything? Haven't you been listening?
God doesn't come and go. God lasts.
He's Creator of all you can see or imagine.
He doesn't get tired out, doesn't pause to catch his breath.
And he knows everything, inside and out.
He energizes those who get tired,
gives fresh strength to dropouts.
For even young people tire and drop out,
young folk in their prime stumble and fall.
But those who wait upon God get fresh strength.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Psalm 91 (The Message)
You who sit down in the High God's presence, spend the night in Shaddai's shadow,
Say this: "God, you're my refuge.
I trust in you and I'm safe!"
That's right—he rescues you from hidden traps,
shields you from deadly hazards.
His huge outstretched arms protect you—
under them you're perfectly safe;
his arms fend off all harm...
Yes, because God's your refuge,
the High God your very own home,
Evil can't get close to you,
harm can't get through the door.
He ordered his angels
to guard you wherever you go.
If you stumble, they'll catch you;
their job is to keep you from falling.
You who sit down in the High God's presence, spend the night in Shaddai's shadow,
Say this: "God, you're my refuge.
I trust in you and I'm safe!"
That's right—he rescues you from hidden traps,
shields you from deadly hazards.
His huge outstretched arms protect you—
under them you're perfectly safe;
his arms fend off all harm...
Yes, because God's your refuge,
the High God your very own home,
Evil can't get close to you,
harm can't get through the door.
He ordered his angels
to guard you wherever you go.
If you stumble, they'll catch you;
their job is to keep you from falling.
Friday, June 19, 2009
Ephesians 5:25-26 (The Message)
Husbands, go all out in your love for your wives, exactly as Christ did for the church—a love marked by giving, not getting. Christ's love makes the church whole. His words evoke her beauty. Everything he does and says is designed to bring the best out of her, dressing her in dazzling white silk, radiant with holiness. And that is how husbands ought to love their wives. They're really doing themselves a favor—since they're already "one" in marriage.
Husbands, go all out in your love for your wives, exactly as Christ did for the church—a love marked by giving, not getting. Christ's love makes the church whole. His words evoke her beauty. Everything he does and says is designed to bring the best out of her, dressing her in dazzling white silk, radiant with holiness. And that is how husbands ought to love their wives. They're really doing themselves a favor—since they're already "one" in marriage.
Friday, May 15, 2009
Dear Cafe Clientele,
Today's words of hope come from my friend Lisa Whittle and her fantastic blog. Check her out at www.LisaWhittle.com . Meantime, here's a taste of her faith and the wisdom God pours onto me through her:
"[Here] are my spiritual silver linings, and they are in no particular order or clarity.
1) Don’t take daily time with God out of the equation, just because it seems like it would, at times, be easier to. {I need Him, not the other way around.}
2) Do what I can do and acknowledge what I can’t. {Which happens to be a lot these days.}
3) Be ok with sacrificing things and even, people, for the most important relationship in my life. {Admittedly, this is a tough one for me.}
4) Remember what this whole life thing is really all about. {Temporary highs and lows with a steady and sure eternal end.}
5) Please God and let everyone else think what they want. {Another tough one for me, but I'm slowly getting it.}
6) Cry, if needed. {There’s a reason that lump in my throat is there.}
7) Know that I won’t ever go anywhere or go through anything that will take me off His radar screen for even a second. {I still can’t fathom the fact that I am always on His mind. So are you, by the way.}
8) Look for things to get rid of that don’t facilitate growth in my relationship with God and keep me from personal health and wellness. {This requires wisdom, friends. It also requires courage.}
9) Appreciate people who love me. {Honestly, sometimes I’m not sure why anyone would want to hang out with me.}
10) Pray like crazy. {Period.} And yes, there are more. But because I am trying to exercise numbers 2, 8, and 9, I simply must make that all for now.
For I am convinced that sometimes it takes all the madness life offers to bring us to the point where we have no other choice but to start looking up."
“Blessed be the Lord— day after day he carries us along. He's our Savior, our God, oh yes! He's God-for-us, he's God-who-saves-us.” (Psalm 68:19 The Msg)
Today's words of hope come from my friend Lisa Whittle and her fantastic blog. Check her out at www.LisaWhittle.com . Meantime, here's a taste of her faith and the wisdom God pours onto me through her:
"[Here] are my spiritual silver linings, and they are in no particular order or clarity.
1) Don’t take daily time with God out of the equation, just because it seems like it would, at times, be easier to. {I need Him, not the other way around.}
2) Do what I can do and acknowledge what I can’t. {Which happens to be a lot these days.}
3) Be ok with sacrificing things and even, people, for the most important relationship in my life. {Admittedly, this is a tough one for me.}
4) Remember what this whole life thing is really all about. {Temporary highs and lows with a steady and sure eternal end.}
5) Please God and let everyone else think what they want. {Another tough one for me, but I'm slowly getting it.}
6) Cry, if needed. {There’s a reason that lump in my throat is there.}
7) Know that I won’t ever go anywhere or go through anything that will take me off His radar screen for even a second. {I still can’t fathom the fact that I am always on His mind. So are you, by the way.}
8) Look for things to get rid of that don’t facilitate growth in my relationship with God and keep me from personal health and wellness. {This requires wisdom, friends. It also requires courage.}
9) Appreciate people who love me. {Honestly, sometimes I’m not sure why anyone would want to hang out with me.}
10) Pray like crazy. {Period.} And yes, there are more. But because I am trying to exercise numbers 2, 8, and 9, I simply must make that all for now.
For I am convinced that sometimes it takes all the madness life offers to bring us to the point where we have no other choice but to start looking up."
“Blessed be the Lord— day after day he carries us along. He's our Savior, our God, oh yes! He's God-for-us, he's God-who-saves-us.” (Psalm 68:19 The Msg)
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Romans 8:1-2 (The Message)
The Solution Is Life on God's Terms
With the arrival of Jesus, the Messiah, that fateful dilemma is resolved. Those who enter into Christ's being-here-for-us no longer have to live under a continuous, low-lying black cloud. A new power is in operation. The Spirit of life in Christ, like a strong wind, has magnificently cleared the air, freeing you from a fated lifetime of brutal tyranny at the hands of sin and death.
I can remember waking from a deep sleep in a dark room. The waking agent was my mother pulling up the window shade, allowing into my cocoon a blast of sunlight so fierce my eyelids felt transparent.
I pulled the quilt over my face as a shield until my eyes adjusted to the light. Coming to life from such a deep sleep in such a dark room took transition time. The eyes had to adjust to the brightness of day before my brain could process what was seen. As that sleepy grogginess wore off, my mind began to process sights, sounds, and smells (mmmm, bacon cooking).
In the unconscious state of sleep, involuntary reflexes and systems kept my body alive and functioning. I did not have to be awake, for example, to continue to breathe. Since my mother was ready to interact with me, however, she dispelled the darkness of my room with a fierce light to call me into that state where I was able to make conscious decisions about sustaining myself. How many pieces of bacon, for example, did I choose for breakfast? Would I present myself as grouchy or cheerful?
Once awake, our eyes adjusted to the light, we are able to make choices about how we want to live and interact with our siblings here on Earth, as well as with the One Who woke us with the Light.
Will you come out from under the covers? There's no breakfast there.
The Solution Is Life on God's Terms
With the arrival of Jesus, the Messiah, that fateful dilemma is resolved. Those who enter into Christ's being-here-for-us no longer have to live under a continuous, low-lying black cloud. A new power is in operation. The Spirit of life in Christ, like a strong wind, has magnificently cleared the air, freeing you from a fated lifetime of brutal tyranny at the hands of sin and death.
I can remember waking from a deep sleep in a dark room. The waking agent was my mother pulling up the window shade, allowing into my cocoon a blast of sunlight so fierce my eyelids felt transparent.
I pulled the quilt over my face as a shield until my eyes adjusted to the light. Coming to life from such a deep sleep in such a dark room took transition time. The eyes had to adjust to the brightness of day before my brain could process what was seen. As that sleepy grogginess wore off, my mind began to process sights, sounds, and smells (mmmm, bacon cooking).
In the unconscious state of sleep, involuntary reflexes and systems kept my body alive and functioning. I did not have to be awake, for example, to continue to breathe. Since my mother was ready to interact with me, however, she dispelled the darkness of my room with a fierce light to call me into that state where I was able to make conscious decisions about sustaining myself. How many pieces of bacon, for example, did I choose for breakfast? Would I present myself as grouchy or cheerful?
Once awake, our eyes adjusted to the light, we are able to make choices about how we want to live and interact with our siblings here on Earth, as well as with the One Who woke us with the Light.
Will you come out from under the covers? There's no breakfast there.
Monday, May 4, 2009
A friend of Vivian Beauchamp's sent her the following prayer. We don't know the original author, but it is lovely and to the point. (If it is from The Book of Common Prayer, please let us know.)
"Jesus, let us be willing to take the necessary risks to be a healing, compassionate presence in our violent world, especially with women, children, and those who have no voice.
Show us how to make Your merciful life visible; show us how to move others by our own Christian faith, and stay focused on the spiritual life even when we feel content to stay in our my own little rut of paralysis.
Encourage each of us and use us to be a friend to others, as it is a unique grace to be able to support and pray for another's health and wholeness.
We give thanks for all who have brought us to you Lord Jesus, and we pray that we all will have the opportunity to be that same kind of friend for others."
Vivian's friend added that heroic lives are built upon each small kindness done in Jesus' name.
If you can, try to find a song by Randy Stonehill (from Lazarus Man) entitled "In Jesus' Name."
"Jesus, let us be willing to take the necessary risks to be a healing, compassionate presence in our violent world, especially with women, children, and those who have no voice.
Show us how to make Your merciful life visible; show us how to move others by our own Christian faith, and stay focused on the spiritual life even when we feel content to stay in our my own little rut of paralysis.
Encourage each of us and use us to be a friend to others, as it is a unique grace to be able to support and pray for another's health and wholeness.
We give thanks for all who have brought us to you Lord Jesus, and we pray that we all will have the opportunity to be that same kind of friend for others."
Vivian's friend added that heroic lives are built upon each small kindness done in Jesus' name.
If you can, try to find a song by Randy Stonehill (from Lazarus Man) entitled "In Jesus' Name."
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Why Open The Cafe?
My mission today is to tell people that I rely on a foundational relationship with Jesus Christ of Nazareth.
I worship a Person, not a system of thought, not a set of rules, not a repressive world view. Worshiping anything other than the Person of Jesus is merely chiseling a stone god for oneself out of the limestone of our culture.
It took thirty years for me to realize this Person was for me, not against me. I grew up in church, but intentionally or unintentionally, the system which formed me was largely mysogynistic and hypocritical. As soon as I was old enough to make a stand, I ditched pointless religion.
The 12 Steps brought me back around to the idea that maybe God wasn't poised with His finger over the Smite button. The 12 Step programs talk a lot about "the God of my understanding." I began to realize that I possessed no true understanding of God as He really is.
In searching to know Him, I did two life changing things. First, I prayed for the faith to believe. Secondly, I picked up my Bible and opened it at random. Time after time, as I opened my Bible, and read the first thing I saw, my eyes fell on the same words: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Each time I read those words, my eyes blurred with tears. I realized God was not out to get me. God was not mad at me. God did not hate me. God desired to nurture me; He only wanted to shelter me, not cause harm.
Thus began the journey of great adventure. God is real, and he doesn't hate you. Pray for the faith to believe, and receive the grace and peace He is sending you.
Acts 17:22-27 (The Message)
22-23So Paul took his stand in the open space at the Areopagus and laid it out for them. "It is plain to see that you Athenians take your religion seriously. When I arrived here the other day, I was fascinated with all the shrines I came across. And then I found one inscribed, to the god nobody knows. I'm here to introduce you to this God so you can worship intelligently, know who you're dealing with.
24-29"The God who made the world and everything in it, this Master of sky and land, doesn't live in custom-made shrines or need the human race to run errands for him, as if he couldn't take care of himself. He makes the creatures; the creatures don't make him. Starting from scratch, he made the entire human race and made the earth hospitable, with plenty of time and space for living so we could seek after God, and not just grope around in the dark but actually find him. He doesn't play hide-and-seek with us. He's not remote; he's near. We live and move in him, can't get away from him! One of your poets said it well: 'We're the God-created.' Well, if we are the God-created, it doesn't make a lot of sense to think we could hire a sculptor to chisel a god out of stone for us, does it?
I worship a Person, not a system of thought, not a set of rules, not a repressive world view. Worshiping anything other than the Person of Jesus is merely chiseling a stone god for oneself out of the limestone of our culture.
It took thirty years for me to realize this Person was for me, not against me. I grew up in church, but intentionally or unintentionally, the system which formed me was largely mysogynistic and hypocritical. As soon as I was old enough to make a stand, I ditched pointless religion.
The 12 Steps brought me back around to the idea that maybe God wasn't poised with His finger over the Smite button. The 12 Step programs talk a lot about "the God of my understanding." I began to realize that I possessed no true understanding of God as He really is.
In searching to know Him, I did two life changing things. First, I prayed for the faith to believe. Secondly, I picked up my Bible and opened it at random. Time after time, as I opened my Bible, and read the first thing I saw, my eyes fell on the same words: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Each time I read those words, my eyes blurred with tears. I realized God was not out to get me. God was not mad at me. God did not hate me. God desired to nurture me; He only wanted to shelter me, not cause harm.
Thus began the journey of great adventure. God is real, and he doesn't hate you. Pray for the faith to believe, and receive the grace and peace He is sending you.
Acts 17:22-27 (The Message)
22-23So Paul took his stand in the open space at the Areopagus and laid it out for them. "It is plain to see that you Athenians take your religion seriously. When I arrived here the other day, I was fascinated with all the shrines I came across. And then I found one inscribed, to the god nobody knows. I'm here to introduce you to this God so you can worship intelligently, know who you're dealing with.
24-29"The God who made the world and everything in it, this Master of sky and land, doesn't live in custom-made shrines or need the human race to run errands for him, as if he couldn't take care of himself. He makes the creatures; the creatures don't make him. Starting from scratch, he made the entire human race and made the earth hospitable, with plenty of time and space for living so we could seek after God, and not just grope around in the dark but actually find him. He doesn't play hide-and-seek with us. He's not remote; he's near. We live and move in him, can't get away from him! One of your poets said it well: 'We're the God-created.' Well, if we are the God-created, it doesn't make a lot of sense to think we could hire a sculptor to chisel a god out of stone for us, does it?
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