Tuesday, September 28, 2004
Assumptions
I've had a number of conversations about God in the last year. Many of these have been with co-workers and friends who have different beliefs.
No matter how clearly I present my ongoing experience with God, the truth gets filtered out It's very similar to what happens when I tell someone I'm a sand sculptor: I say sculpture, they hear castle. I have to show them pictures before they believe what I make. Unfortunately I can't show anyone a picture of God, or hand them a recording of His voice.
Assumptions get in the way. Our culture assumes there is a God, but he's at best a distant foggy presence. Anyone who says he hears God's voice is assumed to be out there and not fully connected to the real world. God just doesn't talk to people.
It took God a long time to work through my assumptions. Something like 25 years. He's patient, the very opposite of our short-attention-span culture.
I say I can't live without Him. People hear echoes of a million sappy songs, and remember what the preachers have said on TV. Satan is very good at twisting the truth just enough that it looks plausible but is no longer useful.
I point out what the Bible says about Jesus. They remember all the other guys who've said the same things, and then asked for money.
Is there any way for the truth to make inroads on a closed mind? Yes. If there weren't I'd be dead or locked up right now. The Holy Spirit is powerful, and God's Word is very sharp. But the whole process is very delicate because God honors our individuality and our free will.
God spreads the table. We choose what to eat. Assumptions turn fresh-baked bread into last week's doughnuts and people walk on by. It's truly fresh bread, not a stone. Turn to Jesus and eat what He offers. He is alive, and will speak to you.
No matter how clearly I present my ongoing experience with God, the truth gets filtered out It's very similar to what happens when I tell someone I'm a sand sculptor: I say sculpture, they hear castle. I have to show them pictures before they believe what I make. Unfortunately I can't show anyone a picture of God, or hand them a recording of His voice.
Assumptions get in the way. Our culture assumes there is a God, but he's at best a distant foggy presence. Anyone who says he hears God's voice is assumed to be out there and not fully connected to the real world. God just doesn't talk to people.
It took God a long time to work through my assumptions. Something like 25 years. He's patient, the very opposite of our short-attention-span culture.
I say I can't live without Him. People hear echoes of a million sappy songs, and remember what the preachers have said on TV. Satan is very good at twisting the truth just enough that it looks plausible but is no longer useful.
I point out what the Bible says about Jesus. They remember all the other guys who've said the same things, and then asked for money.
Is there any way for the truth to make inroads on a closed mind? Yes. If there weren't I'd be dead or locked up right now. The Holy Spirit is powerful, and God's Word is very sharp. But the whole process is very delicate because God honors our individuality and our free will.
God spreads the table. We choose what to eat. Assumptions turn fresh-baked bread into last week's doughnuts and people walk on by. It's truly fresh bread, not a stone. Turn to Jesus and eat what He offers. He is alive, and will speak to you.
# posted by Larry @ 08:46 
