Saturday, October 17, 2020

2 Things

One of my seminary professors told us the Bible is essentially about 2 things.  When I heard this, I was both interested and skeptical.  I always thought the Bible contained all of the truth and guidance we needed for daily decisions and for living life in grace and relevance.  How could it be so easily summed-up?  The he said ... "The Bible is about who God is and who we are.  If we understand and believe those two things, all the other stuff will work out."

I gave this lots of thought.  If I know who God is and believe it, that seems to be a good thing.  We live in a world where we are pulled to-and-fro by competing definitions of God and God's priorities.  It is confusing to say the least!  One person says God is all about justice.  Another says God is all about judgment.  If these are true I am in real trouble because I deserve both and next to a holy God I stand no chance!  Bible book after Bible book gives a snapshot of God and the view seem to change according to the writer of the book.  What is God like?

Then, my professor gave this illustration.  If we take pictures of our family and look back over time we find many different views.  We see moments of affection, struggle, anger, laughter and fun ... and all of these things are a part of that family and the members of that family.  None of them are exactly reflective of a one-word description of the family.  Because families and people are complex, ever-changing and sometimes puzzling.  Now think of this as it relates to God and the Bible.  The Bible shows God as constant yet ever-moving to newness.  It says God is not like any of the things we can fit into our heads.  God is bigger, more complex and more beautiful than we could ever imagine.  When Moses encountered the burning bush the phrase God uses when Moses asks "Who are you?" can be translated as "I AM the God that is!"  Vast, indescribable and unmeasurable ... we cannot quantify or qualify God.

Then, if God is all of this, who are we?  The song "Who am I" says "I am a flower quickly fading ... a wave tossed in the ocean."  I think we can all identify with that these days!  The Colossians could too!  Paul writes to them with encouragement.  Paul, in Chapter 1, says ... "I Thank God for you daily."  Then Paul reminds the people of some other aspects of who they are.  He says 1) You are created (V:16), 2) You are held-together (V:17), 3) You are reconciled to God through Christ (V:18), 4) You are no longer enemies of God (V:22),  5) You are holy through the redemption of Christ (V:23), 6) You are free  (V:23), 7) You are called to continue 'in the faith' (V:23), 8) You are called by the Gospel and 9) You are servants of Christ (V:23).  The song concludes ... "I am Yours."

God is big, unfathomable and beyond our understanding, yet God calls us to know Him as much as we can.  We are servants that are also children of the King.  I think if I were to sum up Colossians in a few words, they might be ... God loves you ... show your love for God by letting Him lead and change you.  What do you think?  Randy

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