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God

Hi Guys-

I'm really enjoying the discussions about God.  It's cool to hear what 
people really think about something so dear to me-- the core of my passions 
etc.  I won't kick into debate mode though.  I just want to talk straight 
from the heart.  Those of you who don't accept such things: you're probably 
not gonna like this :)

Here's what I think...

I know absolute Truth issue seems untangible to many people.  Relativism 
seems to be the shifting sands that govern our societal thought amid 
perennial pasts and uncertain futures (yaddah yaddah yaddah).  Still, there 
are tons of darwinists, atheists etc. who remind us of moral codes and good 
living (these seem fairly absolute in their most basic forms).  Most 
darwinists I know have morals, but ironically, those morals go against the 
very heart of darwinism.  Notions of justice and compassion directly 
conflict with "survival of the fittest."  If the (intrinsically) strongest 
really were to prevail here, all of our morals would have to be thrown out.  
If we're going to stand on morals and ethics, we must acknowledge their 
source.  I won't go any further into the details b/c I think this was 
already covered inadvertantly by Tim and Fred.  Still, I wanted to make sure 
it was more basically explained.

Chris, you mentioned faith.  A lot of people don't want to touch it with a 
ten foot pole!  d00d, I understand why.  From personal experience, I can say 
that it's a powerful and mountain-moving thing; but not everyone has lived 
that out.  The Bible also says that faith is a gift from God meaning that it 
doesn't originate with us.  I personally keep asking for more, and He keeps 
dishing it out!  I'm constantly encouraged with faith and by faith.  Just in 
the way you sit on a chair believing it will support your weight, I trust in 
the God who's never failed me.

In this discussion, we seem to only be talking about ourselves, what WE can 
believe etc.; but many (including myself) think more about what God can do 
(of course, constantly being a gentlemen and desiring that it be our free 
will that chooses or rejects what He offers).  I believe what the Bible says 
about the Holy Spirit making the experience personal, truly "knocking on the 
door of your heart," or however people explain that--I know it sounds trite.

I can't run around with mathematical proofs about your or my heart.  Some in 
this arena may never be satisfied with evidence I could present, and I 
believe it is b/c the means, part of the real power and truth behind the 
redemptive power of Christ, is that unexplicability.  That kind of love, in 
it's entirety, is vast and unreplicable in our orignal, confined earthen 
vessels.

Another thing is that you can't teach calculus to someone who hasn't licked 
addition and subtraction.  So, if the basic truths of who God is are not 
established (believed, embraced etc), most of the other things I say are not 
going to have a frame or context--they won't make any sense.  To many at 
this very moment, I probably sound loca or blind or really naive.  To some 
it may seem as though I haven't the "intelligence" to make it in such a 
discussion.  First, I decidedly laid aside such arguments; and second, the 
power/strength/benefits/whatever I possess stands up under heavy fire that 
life so graciously brings.

Going back to the means I mentioned: the God I serve delights in the 
impossible and inprobable.  If it were all very definable and/or doable by 
us, God's power and magnificence could not be shown, proven etc.  Look at 
the Bible (can you tell I like the Bible?)... God's constantly taking all 
these underdogs and unlikely people and doing incredible things in and 
through their lives.  David was a young shepherd, Gideon was scared out of 
his wits hiding in the winepress and Moses had a speech impediment and truly 
believed people wouldn't listen to him.  Those who know more of their 
daunting odds can stand in even more awe with me.  From the NT, look at the 
disciples.  Oh dear, need I even begin?  Then there was Paul, one of the 
hugest persecutors of Christians who delighted in their deaths.  Who would 
have thought he'd be such a strong instrument in preaching the Gospel?

I happen to be one of those people too.  If you met me, you'd be like, "this 
little short, soft woman earned the Commandants pin for military excellence 
at the US Air Force Academy????  this little woman has kicked major butt in 
martial arts?"  I could go on.  I am more than a conqueror.  He goes into 
all the areas of my weakness and totally uses that part of me to do great 
things.  That's how we know it's Him and not us.  We also see a scripture 
where it says that He makes the wisdom of the wise foolishness.  It's for 
the very same reason.  It's like His neon sign for all of down here of 
little faith.

I focussed on faith here b/c I believe it to be much stronger than 
philosophical positions.  There are all sorts of different trails of logic 
that lead us in various directions.  One interesting aspect of my 
perspective is that what I share from personal experience cannot be refuted. 
  It can be commented on; but the peace that constantly surrounds me is 
irrefutable.  Not only can I constantly testify to it, but others feel it 
with me and even in my home.  It's even been tested time and time again-- 
tested by fire/storms not by semantic squabbles.  I used to rely so heavily 
on the format of explanation beautifully used by both Fred and Tim; but as 
you can see, I believe in a higher faithfulness, power and purpose that 
completely supercedes the best of our explanations.  My childlike faith is 
pure in good and powerful.  I don't mind that it's childlike.

Just a few thoughts, as Kelvin might say...

-Marie

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