This won’t be long as I’ve place alot of energy responding to my one and only comment in yesterday’s blog. I broke my rule and started debating non-Christians. Which got me thinking, the blogosphere, what is the main purpose anyway? I suppose it’s sort of what you make it. I mean, the reason why I started this site was to explore faith issues for me personally, and I’m best at doing that knowing there are people reading and keeping me accountable. Some think it’s the exchange of ideas. Is it really that though? Are we really exchanging ideas? I know that it is with tech blogs. I read alot of those looking for software fixes and computer problems. However, with philosophy and religion, I think it takes more than the words on these blogs. Those conversations are meant for a more personal setting I believe. It’s takes more than the anonymity of the Internet masking our true selves giving us permission to say what we want. Are we that brazen in real life? I think the Internet has the tendency to put us on our soapboxes and start preaching. I know that this blog may be seen that way, but it’s really not my contention, I had thought anyone else what have read this blog besides my friends. I welcome comments. Everyone has to choose their battles however. I can really only share my heart on this blog, and then continue to live a life that gives glory to God. Random people who may comment on this site do not know me but only have a cliche caricature of who I am as a Christian, and I must admit, I fall into the same trap as they might do as I have a tendency to see them as caricature of those who do not believe in God. I don’t wish for this blog to be that. I guess I’m looking to find out how smart I’m not, and not display how smart I think I am. I wish for this blog to be a humble look at the things God is putting in front of me today. Lord, let me see others as you see them. Let me forgive others for how I’ve been treated over the internet and not let an argumentative spirit take hold.
Today…I’ve been very blah. My back has been really hurting.
Probably from all the lifting at Target, and from working endlessly on
the apartment. I need to soak in a hot-tub. I am reminded though of
something a guest speaker said this past Sunday at church. He was
talking about suffering. And how the goal of many religions is to move
away from suffering. He pointed out Buddhism an how it begins with the
premise of suffering and the “enlightened one” has moved away from
suffering. To be like Christ is to suffer. A quick search of the word
“suffer” in the bible brings hundreds of results, and Christ has to
suffer and endure many things.
“Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And
hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into
our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.” Romans 5:3-4
While my back hurts, I remember the one who suffered many blows to
his back to absorb the wrath of who I am so that I might be free to
commune with a living God who wants so much for me to be present to His
presence now. Lord, my back hurts, but my spirit rejoices knowing that
you’ll restore not only my back, but all things, for you glory and your
glory alone. Amen.
This is an attempt to get back to something I had started years ago. Weekly, while I was a youth pastor, I’d send out a blog of sorts (this was before blogging was really all the popular) via e-mail to my kids and church people colleagues every week. It was nice to hear the different responses, and it challenged me to really delve into my faith. Asked me to look a scriptures, and take some time out of my day to really meet up with God, all with the purpose of getting to know him more, under the guise of offering some teaching to others. Well…I’m not a youth pastor in the paid sense anymore, and I’m about to pick up some youth oriented responsiblities at church, I’ve been thinking about where my faith is, and how I just miss the presense of the Lord in my life. I feel like challenging myself to blog and ask the questions and look at His word will really help me to take up someone of which I’ve lost through busyness and bad routine over the years. While I cannot complain about what God is doing in my life and all He does, it’s not enough for me to just say, “Thanks God” once a day. I don’t want Jesus to be my teddy bear, something I cling to when I need comfort, but a living Lord of my life, whose my Father and Friend. God…let me know you that way once more and guide me to your Truth that shows me who you really are. Challenge me, and reveal to me your heart as I look to share with you my own in not in word, but also in deed. Amen.
