I am not sure how I feel about this because I didn't really feel as though I neatly fit into any of the categories. I did, however, really like this quote from the article:
For many who claim to be Christian, much of modern-day thinking about how to connect with God has been reduced to a theory of sin management - that what we do or don’t do in our daily lives is the gauge by which we measure why we are, or are not, close with him.
It perfectly captured this sense of how far we have distorted the truth of the Gospel, the Story that God is trying to weave with us, His broken creation....and really how we have cheapened our relationship with God.
So, the question is, how do we/I, recapture the holistic beauty of being in relationship with God?
I'm looking for answers people. Don't be shy.
2 comments:
So the whole premise of the article doesn't work for me: "Am I close to God?" In my current world view, the only thing worth remembering is how close God is to me. I can see how the experience of God's presence might be shaped by our attachment styles (of course - it's another relationship, right?), but even being asked to consider how close I am too God annoys me.
However, YOUR question about how "we/I, recapture the holistic beauty of being in relationship with God?" - well, that is intriguing and worthy of wonder. But my answer conflicts with your highlighted paragraph about what we do in our daily lives being a measure for our closeness. Maybe not in conflict now that I type it: maybe I would just re-write it. What we "do" (pray, write, meditate, give, fast, serve, sing) is not the measure, it's the means. The doing of those things is not the proof of closeness with God; it is the process of closeness with God.
I don't know what the alternative is. I know, deep in my heart, that God loves me, knows me. Truly, I do. But lately, my life doesn't include very many opportunities to talk with God about it. I don't think this worries the Creator, or cause rage and condemnation. But it might create in me a sense of loneliness in our relationship. I have little doubt though, that as I carve back some space for the spiritual disciplines that Jesus recommended and lived, I will very quickly find myself newly experiencing the very close peace and rest of God With Me, as promised.
ACJ, thank you.
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