THOUGHTS: God as a vending machine.

One thing I think needs some serious correction is the idea that being a “good” Christian entitles people to receiving all their heart's desires. Like God is a vending machine of some sort where you can approach him, perform steps in the right sequence and boom, out pops your order. Now before you run around and freak out and call me a heretic or something worse, I understand that Jesus says, “ask anything in my name and you shall receive”. (paraphrased from John 14:13 NIV) I get that it's a direct quote. But, I think we need to understand something. Life is not going to stop handing you problems, issues and other friction. So when it starts coming at you, don't be surprised. In fact, I think that we, as Christians actually get pushed to the front lines of battle. I have a warfare worldview, meaning I look at everything as Good v. Evil. It's a constant battle and we are the loot, the booty, the treasure, the spoils. When you join the Kingdom and start fighting for the God side, the other side deems you more threatening and they attack harder. So yeah, I'm gonna have some bad times. Yeah, I'm gonna be unhappy sometimes. It does not reflect a lesser faith. It does not mean that God is not paying attention. It only means the battle is on.

Another thing: Let's say a guy owns a water proofing business like my brother in law. He is praying for rain to increase business. Meanwhile, a woman across town is having a heart attack and calls an ambulance. She prays for a safe pick up and drop off. The rain comes, the water proofer is psyched. The ambulance is slowed down and the woman passes away in the back. Does God love one more than another? Did she just not pray right? I think that the world is broken and God is trying to get it all together but other forces are at play. You might ask, “Isn't God omnipotent?” and to that I say yeah, but let's look at what that looks like in the Kingdom. Christ was tortured and put to death on the roman equivalent of the electric chair. I believe he is God so I believe that's what all-powerful looks like. Victory over death but through major pain. It's totally subversive and upside down and counter-intuitive. It's definitely not a vending machine.

THOUGHTS: Surfing as a metaphor

This has been on my mind for a while.  I don't even surf, but I want to.......   I also never use semi-colons so this is a first on that front.  Any editor's out there, feel free to correct the usage.  I need to learn

Life is moving and pushing and slowing and quickening all around me. I cannot manipulate it more than anyone else. I cannot tell life how to happen. I can only ride the currents and waves as they come. Some are good waves, some are bad, but I ride them all anyway. I cannot stand up on this wave and tell it to stop or slow down or go another way. I can only ride it and get back in position to catch the next one. I can learn from each wave and apply it to the next run, but I can never stop the course of that wave. It's a natural force. It's not a product of my actions. My actions are a product of it and I choose how to act once said wave is unfavorable.

I notice a lot of people standing on their boards, facing the wrong way while waves come at them; while other riders come at them. And they don't get it. They don't understand the fact that the waves don't stop. The waves don't care about your idea of surfing. They don't care if you want to go the other way. They're bigger than you. You ride them. They don't adjust to you. So you cannot stand up in the face of these waves and an onslaught of other riders and get mad at the fact you keep falling off and eating it. Ride the wave. Go with the flow. You never know, a seemingly bad wave might take you to a better place; a place where every wave is awesome.