Listen To Theology or Else . . .

"If you do not listen to Theology, that will not mean that you have no ideas about God. It will mean that you have a lot of wrong ones—bad, muddled, out-of-date ideas. For a great many of the ideas about God which are trotted out as novelties today, are simply the ones which real Theologians tried centuries ago and rejected."

C. S. Lewis

Thanks to Lewis for this delicious truth. If you learn Church history and historical theology you'll see there is no new heresy found under the sun. You'll also learn of a great many good, true, and beautiful thoughts about God that were considered long ago. These will nourish you.

Living Our Theology

You know, we live out our theology (what we believe about God). Our thoughts about God are related to our everyday life. Do we see God as generous or do we take him to be tight-fisted? Is he crazy in love with us, wishing for our best, or is he waiting just to strike us down with a lightning bolt? Is he only chummy with us or  transcendent too? Do we really believe that we're supposed to put off anger, rage, malice, and greed which is idolatry and then clothe ourselves with humility, patience and kindness (Colossians 3)? Or do we believe it is fine to make intellectual assents to the gospel but live like the Devil? Do we believe that God is capable of changing us, that he has the power to do so, or do we think those are unbelievable words that scripture utters? Do we really believe that God allows us the option of loving or not loving our neighbors? We cannot transform ourselves. That is God's work. But, we have to allow him to transform us in and through Jesus. We have to make the choice to put off anger etc...and then God's grace helps us. We have to make the decision to clothe ourselves with humility and God gives us the power to drape humility over our shoulders. And sometimes, he works despite us and our bad decisions.

How is our theology affecting us? Are there points where we might be off? Let us ask God to show us.

Not A Prosperity Gospel ~ No!

Yes God seeks to bless us and yes we will suffer. Here are Dallas Willard's words from his book Hearing God:

Any voice that promises total exemption from suffering and failure is most certainly not God's voice. In recent years, innumerable spokspeople for God have offered ways we can use God and his Bible as guarantees of health, success and wealth. The Bible is treated as a how-to book, a manual for the successful life in the way of the Western world, which if followed will ensure that you will prosper financially, that you will not get cancer or even a cold and that your church will never split or lack a successful minister and program. To the question from the old hymn

Shall I be carried to the skies
On flowery beds of ease,
While others fought to win the prize
And sailed through the bloody seas?

these people shout, "Yes, most certainly!"
But if we consider those who stand throughout history as the best practitioners of the Way, we will find that they went through great difficulties, often living their entire lives and dying amidst these great trials. The word of God does not just come to lead us out of trouble--though it sometimes does this--or to make sure that we have it easy and that everything goes our way.

Dallas Willard p. 180 in Hearing God.

Disappointment with God - Dealing With It

"Though he slay me I will trust him." Job 13:15

There's a wide range of disappointment in our lives. Disappointment ranges from minor daily irritations and let downs to deep griefs that never really heal due to the death of loved ones or friends. What happens when wave upon wave batters our souls or families or churches or friends? How do we go on?

It's hard. It's hard not to throw in the towel, especially if we've been as faithful and obedient to God as we know how to be. It doesn't seem fair that we should endure long seasons of unanswered prayers, of grief and depression, when we've sought God with all of our hearts--yet it happens. It has happened to all the saints throughout history. We become disappointed in God's silences, in God's inaction. Disillusionment sets in. We find ourselves posing the question that the serpent in the Garden posed, "Did God really say?" and find that our trust in God is starting to slowly crumble.

I always wonder if I would've lasted as long as Job. Would I have given into despair and cursed God? Job suffered tremendously--physically, emotionally, and spiritually. But God gave him the grace to persevere even when everyone, including his wife and his friends were accusing him, saying he must of sinned and telling him to give up.

I suppose that by nature, I am easily discouraged or maybe just impatient. At my worst, I am impatient with myself, impatient with God, impatient with the sins of others and impatient with the Church. So when I think about it, I can see how God is teaching me patience and perserverance as I wait on him, as I am frequently disappointed that my answer to a particular prayer hasn't come. And when I think of it, my prayer is nothing. I am experiencing nothing compared to the millions who are suffering right now. If I capitulate to self-pity, I can see how selfish and self-absorbed I've become. Yet another reason God might have me waiting--purification.

But for those who are suffering and enduring God's silences, for those of us experiencing comparably minor disappointments and delays from God, for all of us, it is important that we continue to lean on the body of Christ--the Church. It is important that we continue to receive the means of grace that come through prayer, God's word, communion, and the spiritual disciplines. But if we find we cannot do any of these, we must confide in trusted people within Christ's body, so they can bear our burdens with us--so they can lower us through the roof as I posted a few days ago.

It is amazing to me that I've met people who have suffered far more than I have and they can still say, "Though he slay me, yet will I trust him." God gives us the grace to say that and mean that. So, I say it today with many of you, "Though he slay me, yet will I trust him."

May God's grace be poured into you today. And feel free to let me know if you need prayer brothers and sisters. I always welcome prayer on my behalf. That is the best gift I can receive from another and give to another. Amen.