I've begun a four-week Wednesday night series entitled "The Four gods I've Followed." Through this series, I am intending to let the congregation know about my evolving relationship with God through the years. Each week I am talking about a different understanding I have had of God throughout the years: God the genie, God the judge, God the absentee father, and God the great lover.
Each time we enter worship together as a community, we should become aware of new facets of God. He cannot be kept in the boxes we try to keep him in. He is bigger, deeper, and more mysterious than the church during the Enlightenment could ever consider. God isn't either/or, he is both/and. Love and wrath, grace and judgment, mercy and demands, personal and mysterious. I love experiencing him in new ways every time I encounter him.
The past two weeks have been wonderful and difficult at the same time. I feel so blessed to work with such a great staff and church. The people are wonderful. The view out of my office window could not be better. Holly and I are so happy in Colorado. But the past two weeks have also brought their share of struggles. We have mourned the loss of two incredible people in our church.
The phrase that I keep repeating is "I didn't learn about this in grad school!" And that is the exciting part. Though I've finished a good part of my academic education, I'm getting an entirely new education on the job. And nothing can replace the things I am learning now.
Question: What other ways have you understood God in your life?
3 comments:
Keep learning and loving the church, Collin. God will continue to reveal himself to you as you love the church. Blessings, rtrr
Some of mine would be:
God of more than enough
God of ultimate sufficiency
God as Bridegroom
God of sovereignty
I could go on, but I believe I will stop there. I believe with every new facet of God that I experience, my relationship becomes richer, deeper, more intimate, and satisfying. He has just asked that I continue to allow Him to be in ultimate control of every part of my life. That I continue to be obedient and humble in my belief. Thanks for this.
I am reminded of Lucy's realization that Aslan looks bigger to her now that she is older. "Every year you grow," he tells her, "you will find me bigger."
C. S. Lewis has provided me endless ways of thinking of God, none of which probably come close to the whole truth, but give me at least a glimpse of the God we serve.
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