When I was a child, I
spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away
childish things. Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections
in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that
I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything
completely, just as God now knows me completely. 1
Corinthians 13:11-12
A pastor challenged me the other day saying, “We all know
that we sin because we are sinners.”
There is great truth to that, and I agree wholeheartedly with that
statement. However, it felt like for
lack of better term ‘generic.’ The
statement seemed hollow because it was too simplistic. We are sinners, and thus, we sin. But our issue with sin is much more complex
than that. I worried I was
overcomplicating the situation, but that was not the case. When we first came to know God, it was a very
simple generic understanding of these simple truths: 1) There is a God, 2) we are
not Him, and 3) He loves us unconditionally.
Today, I write 500 or so words on one facet of each of those truths He
has taught me, and He connects with me through many different
interactions. The homeless man on the
street, the woman holding her baby, a couple praying together, and even a phone
call from my mom remind me that God is everywhere. So, which is it? Is our connection with God simple needing repetition,
or is it complex in meaning and value as many of our relationships are?
Our relationship with God is both simplistic and beautifully
complex. The simplicity of it is as the
pastor pointed out to me is God must be our provider. We are like children; dependent on Him for everything
and trusting that He knows what is right and just. This concept is easy to grasp. However, God is also beautifully
complex. I emphasize the word
‘beautifully’ because as we learn more of Him and grow in our faith, we build
on our understanding of Him, and since God is good, what the relationship
produces is the same. It is what moves
us to tears as we gain greater knowledge of His will, and it opens our eyes toward
finding His purpose for us. It is
incredibly complex because while we are inextricably linked to Him and each
other, no two pathways are the same.
That is His intention, and as one of my churches preaches, a mosaic of
people cannot be obtained by everyone looking and thinking the same. It is only through challenging and sharing
that we gain greater understanding of His kingdom. It is why we can look at verses like today
and see both the child and adult in us.
The child harkens to Jesus’ teaching of one must be like a child to
enter the Kingdom of Heaven (see Matthew 18:3, 19:14). Yet we must be foundationally solid to better
recognize the innerworkings of our spiritual growth that makes us stronger
disciples for Christ (see Hebrews 5:12-14).
God is our everything.
He is the foundation of our faith and light at the end of the
tunnel. He can help us get through the
most difficult of times and keep us on the righteous path when we don’t. Paul’s point in today’s verse is not to say
we have all the answers. Instead, it is
to challenge us to seek them. It is to
not settle for where we our in our relationship. It is to continue to push, struggle, and fight
for it is only then that true growth is achieved. Don’t overcomplicate the journey. Trust that Christ is there to guide you
through it. How can God’s simple truths
reassure you today? Where can you
embrace the beauty of your complex relationship with God? My prayer is that we grow spiritually by
understanding our simple and complex relationship with God. Amen.
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