The concept of God - multidimensional

The concept of three in one, God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit, all being one and the same just smacked me upside the head. I truly could never conceive how this was possible, agreeing with it not out of understanding but just because it was the definition given. For whatever reason, today I understand the clarification. It was an aha moment, or for some a Duh, where’ve you been one.

To break it down in its simplest form, and in the way I came to understand it, think first and foremost relationally. And this seems to be the spot most of us can’t comprehend. We have this far off concept of God being up there in heaven issuing orders instead of actually His residing in and through us. But back to thinking relationally and in human context…I chose to look at marriage, where 2 become 1. This just means instead of operating on a self-centered basis, when two enter marriage they combine their assets, their outlook on life and more; even while continuing to operate sometimes individualistically.

I was married for 30 years until my husband passed away a short time ago. I never felt "controlled" by him, and hopefully he never felt controlled by me, but in saying that, I will also mention that in decision making areas, we would discuss the options and then agree or agree to disagree on the process we would follow. When we agreed, we were thinking like mindedly and in essence as one. To further this analogy, even when we agreed, one of us would take the lead in accomplishing whatever it was we were pursuing.

There is first God as the Father. Then, Jesus as the Son, who became man so that we could have a relationship with God, and the One who established the bond of God and man through the understanding of the troubles, and hurts we suffer. Finally there is the Holy Spirit as the part of God who resides in us.

Where our trouble comes is that relationally many if not most of us want to be THE god in our own lives. We want what we want, when we want it, how we want it and then as if that isn’t good enough, we want everyone to agree with us. Unfortunately, many make their lives revolve around their own god status and then wonder why chaos ensues.

God is not our financial well being, our careers, our possessions or even our popularity. God really couldn’t care less about those things. I just started reading a book by the author of the Shack, Wm. Paul Young. This new book, "Cross Roads" uses an illustration of a financially well off man, who trusts no one and who’s belief system is so out of whack that the concept of God is thought of as a children’s story. What’s real? What’s the truth? Do you know?

As the book opens, this man has a traumatic episode and so happens to meet up with a "Jesus" like man while his life hangs in limbo (coma). He is surveying the sites he encounters and sees utter desolation and condemns it. He is shocked as he finds out that this desolation is really the internal condition of his soul. What is written so graphically makes me cringe to drive by abandoned areas left to ruin. Next time you are in your car, and drive past such a place, internalize it and then ask, is that what my soul looks like?

You know what I miss most in my widow-hood? It is the connection between Bruce and I, a connection that was 32 years in the making. Is that part of my life over? I don’t believe so, but unfortunately many people aren’t willing to "connect" and share, we have grown accustomed to self-centeredness, after all, if we don’t fend for ourselves, no one else will! Will they? I don’t believe that too be true, but rare is the person willing to open up their heart to just anyone. Yet, Jesus lived that way. He didn’t hold a high-ranking job, He wasn’t popular, He didn’t own anything and yet He was always giving…of Himself. This is what is meant about His being relational. He chose to be part of the community surrounding Him. That is what I still yearn for, to feel "a part" of something. It is difficult after 30 years to be the sole voice in decisions, it isn’t that I can’t, it is more that I miss the sharing.

Getting back to "Cross Roads" and the bleakness of where the character finds himself, he asks a very pertinent question "did he send the people away, or did they leave of their own accord?" The answer was very insightful, when we don’t deal with (death) and I’m substituting for clarity the word (turmoil) everyone in your life becomes a catalyst for pain or dead to you.

Is there a difference between truth and reality or is it a mind game? What makes something either true or real? Is it the same for everyone? Is it fair to judge someone else on his or her truth or reality? What would give us the right to do so?

I think as long as we operate on the individualistic basis, the gardens of our souls will wind up looking chaotic and we will feel a yearning for something we can’t explain and then consequently the need to continue trying to fill that void with more. More of everything we don’t need or even want, even though at a moment’s notice we believe we do both want and need it. What we need is to feel a part of…necessary because…but we mistakenly believe that this is fulfilled by humanness. It is sad for those who believe that to be true, because it was NOT why we were put on this earth.

Our purpose, if we CHOOSE to accept it, is to love others. That is it. If we love others, as much as we love ourselves, there wouldn’t be disagreements, conflicts, judgments etc. God isn’t a "freak" with multiple personalities. He is in community, a bonding of three very unique beings, who are capable of thinking; feeling and relating on the levels that we can each individualistically comprehend.

God, the Father is perfect, the only perfection there is.  Jesus the son, is the conduit that links our problems, sufferings, our joy, in essence our humanness to God.  The Holy Spirit, was the everlasting bond given since Jesus had to die for us to be made acceptable.  You can't negate what was, just because the role changes...I was married, I am a Mom.  The changes made in my roles in each of these two circumstances don't nullify them, it makes my person multidimensional.  And That is the point, I'm trying to make about God!

New Year Resolutions

New Year’s resolutions. Did you make any? I was writing (well typing) in my journal and it dawned on me the insignificance of resolutions, especially ones powered by our own might.  You know the ones we break 2 days after making them!

In Jeremiah 29:11 it is stated that "I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you a hope and a future."

Well, how many of us, even the most well intentioned of us, make our own plans and then ask God to approve them? Hmm…I’m guilty. There’s a subtlety about what was written here. Whose plans? My plans. And therein lies the problems. We are not promised life without difficulties. Trials make us grow. Pruning takes place.

In my morning devotional it was pointed out to me that a good gardener severely cuts back a rose bush to allow for beautiful bountiful new growth. For those who are not familiar with gardening to this extent, which is more beautiful? Lots of blossoms or spotty blossoms with green leaves on sticks? One of the lessons my Mom taught me about gardening was that you have to cut back the dead wood that is in a plant, so that the plant rejuvenates new shoots. Most time this severe cutting back looks like a bad haircut and I’ve certainly had my fair share of those.

Well, we too are pruned as we journey through life. God is the master Gardener of our lives. He prunes what is not producing fruit in order that new shoots might blossom. Pruning hurts and still we hang on to what we know rather than experience the adventure God has in store for us. One might look at this and think I’m wise; don’t be fooled, I hang on to what I know just as everyone else does!
Pruning doesn’t mean something taken was bad, I tend to look at it as if what was pruned fulfilled it’s purpose. I just finished reading a book by W. Bruce Cameron; entitled "A Dog’s Purpose" I highly recommend it. The book’s main character is a dog that travels through life defining what it is here to do. It makes me look at my own dogs in a new light. To say anything more would be to give too much detail and ruin the book. I don’t believe the premise is the same for people, but the search for meaning and purpose is. I will say this though, there is pruning going on throughout this story.

All in all, my point is that we should be open first to God’s plan for us. How do we do this? We settle ourselves down, we become quiet and we ask to be shown the way. Sounds simple enough? Unfortunately the directions are simple, but hearing God takes practice. Does a musician just sit down and play beautifully? No, they practice and perfect the score they are playing. Same with an athlete. Practice is continual.

We are all in a New Year. I didn’t make any resolutions. I find myself knocked for a loop with the pruning last year brought my way, BUT, I am confident that God has a plan for me and in HIS time, as long as I am open to hearing Him, I will be lead to where it is and what it is that I’m supposed to be doing. Just remember we are human beings, not human doings. Be first and the means to the doing will be provided.

Looking up!
Barb

New Year - Happiness vs. Joy, it all depends where you are looking

A new year started just a few short hours ago, I was in bed feeling blue. So much has happened this past year and honestly I haven’t wanted to nor have I allowed myself to really deal with the ongoings of this past year, I've kept busy. New year…new beginnings, a chance to start over, if we choose to do so. The thing is, if we live one day at a time, and as I read yesterday in a daily devotional, each and every day can be a new year…because we should be living one day at a time. God only gives us each day and it is up to us how we choose to live it!

I have had the great fortune of gleaning insight from a friend working the 12 step program of AA. And in the third step, there is a prayer that goes: "God, I offer myself to Thee, to build with me and do with me Thy wilt. Relieve me of the bondage of self, so that I may better do Thy will. Take away my difficulties so that victory over them may bear witness to those I would help of Thy power, Thy love and Thy way of life. May I do Thy will always.

This prayer is so chocked full of positives and I have often said to this friend, that it is a shame that this 12 step program is kept more or less a secret, because it has such a insightful impact on every life.

This year, THIS day…I need to offer myself to God and let Him direct me along the path of life. Every detour taken, is one of my desire to lead. In Matthew, Jesus states that we are to come to Him, all that are weary and in need of rest. I can’t speak of anyone else, but I need that rest. My burdens this past year certainly showed me MY need to follow and trust in God, because self-sufficiency didn’t nor couldn’t carry me.
Jesus states that we need Him to release us from our burdens, "relieve me of the bondage of self!" I equate this to mean that as a team player, I can’t carry the team alone. This is so evident in so many marriages where one person in the marriage believes that their needs are more important than someone else’s (in this case their spouse). Hindsight is such a great teacher. Losing Bruce and now being "in charge" of my own life is a scary proposition. I no longer can point a finger of blame if "MY" life isn’t working the way I think it should. I need to then remember that I am part of a larger team, God’s team. I realized that Bruce’s promotion to the heavenly team means that I might be sitting the bench, but like a journeyman learning the ropes, I still have some apprenticing to do until such a time as God calls me to "pro" status. My focus on self, keeps me in bondage. In asking God to relieve me of this bondage, my life’s problems and how He allows me to deal with them, hopefully will point others to the victorious way God wants me to live.

Is it a happy new year? Joy comes from God, He is the Light and if I choose to continue to dwell in a darkened state, it is only because I choose not to look up! His promise of taking on His yoke is one of rest which is peace. Peace and trouble can’t co-exist. What do you choose?

Looking up and Happy New Year!
Barb