Ignorant Historian

More times than I’d like to admit, my words and actions are silently asking, “What’s the Cross got to do with it?”

Though I can talk the talk of a good Christian, my feet too often stray.

I don’t like how I just said that: it’s not that my feet stray off the good path, I do.

But that’s hard to admit, isn’t it?

See?  I just turned it around to you, pulling you into my guilt.

But I am the hypocrite.

Need to take care of the log in my eye before the speck in yours.

I love the Lord…why do my actions not reflect that more?

It doesn’t help when I hear the praises of those around me for my goodness.

They don’t see the selfish desires that fill my thoughts.

They don’t see me when I’m alone.

Because I don’t let them.

So, what’s the Cross got to do with it, Ronnica?

Everything.

Stop living for your own pleasures. As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. – Ephesians 4:1

Stop walking in your own strength. For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength. – 1 Corinthians 1:25

Stop acting like you’re #1 in your life. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. – Philippians 2:3

Recently, a friend asked me why I believe in God.  So much of what I write here has that as a base assumption, but I shouldn’t assume everyone thinks on the subject of God’s existance, because I know many of you don’t.  Here’s my answer, only slightly edited:

You asked me why do I believe in God, and as I said, it’s two-fold.  First, it logically makes sense…though I grew up with many of the same truths that I hold today, by and large, they aren’t unquestioned.  I’ve studied, compared, and pondered and while I by no means have everything figured out, I’ve never found anything that is uncompatability within my worldview and how it relates to the real world (or when I have, I’ve changed it).  I think that my worldview will continue to be refined for the rest of my life, or as long as I commit to seeking truth.

Secondly, and the part that is way more than academic (and because of that seems more “real”), is the emotional/spiritual side, whatever you want to call it.  I’ve had too many situations that may be explained away as coincidences by some, but I can’t logically believe that I’ve had so many fortuitous coincidences…the simpler explanation to me is that there is a God who is working in my life and the lives of those around me.  One example is that in last Friday’s mail I received the exact sum (from 3 different people) needed to make my first Turkey payment due two days later.  Repeat this type of occurance over and over, and you have a good idea why I believe that these things are answers to prayers, not cosmic accidents.

But then there’s the bad stuff.  As you know, I’ve had very little evil in my life and I can only thank God that He spared me, because there’s so much out there.  Even in the little hardship I’ve faced (like the fire, or my ongoing, rather unwanted singleness), the good that came from it was quite apparent.  I don’t mean to intimate that this is always the case.  You’ve already faced more evil and hardship than I’m likely to ever see God-forbid.  I don’t think that I have all the answers to this, but rest assured that because the greatest evil ever done was our putting Jesus Christ, our innocent Lord, to death with our sins, God understands and has purposes far larger than we can see.  My biggest question for God is why did He ever create man in the first place knowing that we would be such wretched messes?

I don’t expect you to go, “by jolly, I’ve got it!” when you read this, but I do hope that it was helpful, if only to understand me a bit better.  I know there’s nothing I can say to convince you, nor would I want to.  I’d seriously love to hear your thoughts on this.

And that goes for all of you as well, I’d love to hear your thoughts on this!

Photo by lfar