Re: Humanity

Habukkuk is a nice little gem in the Bible.

It opens with Habukkuk basically complaining to God and grumbling about the state of humanity. God reassures him that He is working in ways Habukkuk cannot understand. Habukkuk complains some more, God reassures him again and in the end, Habukkuk praises the Lord.

I found this to be a nice reminder that we are not to hid our doubts or anger from God. That is not the way to increase your faith. If you hide your doubts, your faith is not very strong. Strong faith is taking your questions to God and trusting that he will give you answers. Faith is knowing that even when things seem terrible, God is in control and he can handle your "criticism".

I think one of the most incredible lessons that comes out of the new testament is how intensely personal our relationship with God is. We are not expected to blindly worship Him. We are free to wrestle with him as Jacob did and question him as Habukkuk and many others did. God will always come through. There is nothing we can throw at him that he can't handle.

Our God is mighty.

On Living for Christ

Galatians 5:6 "For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love". It is not what we do or how we appear that matters to God, it is faith. Do everything with faith. Faith that God loves you and sent his son to die for you. Faith that just as he clothes the flowers of the field, so you will be clothed. He is always looking out for your best interests.

further in Galatians, 6:9-10 "and let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith" Such an important part of life that we tend to forget. How often do we criticize our brothers and sisters in Christ when we should be loving them.

Colossians 4:5-6 "Conduct yourselves wisely toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person" This is actually a very evangelical verse, Paul is instructing the Colossians to use their time on earth wisely to reach the "outsiders" or non-Christians. We only have a certain amount of time with people, we need to make the best of it and do all we can to further God's kingdom.

1 Thessalonians 3:12-13 "and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints"

Philosophy

I was reminded of philosophy while reading the Psalms last night.

"The one who states his case first seems right,
until the other comes and examines him"
Psalm 18:17

My philosophy professor likes to give us logically sound arguments for philosophical ideas that are completely anti-Christian. We try to find faults in the argument but fail. What then? Another philosopher finds a fault in the argument and makes a case for the exact opposite.

The same happens with great philosophically based theological arguments.

And so the cycle continues. One man presents his case, another examines him and finds fault.