When I was about 14 years old, I remember going with my grandmother to the grocery store, specifically to purchase cherries. I remember this because it was shortly after I discovered my obsession with cherries and cheese, to this day, still one of my favorite snacks. We both went inside the store, we bought what we came inside to get and on the way to the car I prayed over the fruit and began to eat them. As my grandmother got into the car, she scolded me and said "You have to wash those before you eat them!"I looked at her, laughed, and said, "I prayed." She responded, "Well, you still have to wash them." Confused, I asked, "What can water wash clean, that Jesus can't?"
In no way am I condoning eating dirty fruit, but it was the first time in life I really critically examined my faith, or religion for that matter. The funny thing to me was that she had no response for that. As a teen and even now, I realize that I don't think that's the way everyone thinks. Not that I'm special, just because I was allowed to choose, taught that my opinion mattered, and under that assumption I believe there are millions who can account to the same thing.
For some strange reason, I was always surrounded by a group of people that I could question things with, and not solely for the purpose of questioning, but for understanding and growth. When a question arose, we took to the scripture, we discussed, we prayed, we searched. The amazing part of this was that. . . we found answers and in that, we matured.
Almost like a child who asks why and instead of having the parent that says "Because I said so," they have the parent that gives an answer to help them understand. In the first instance, that child is not equipped on his own, but the second child learns that there can be meaning behind the things in the world and can then impact someone else's life.
Today, when I look back at different phases of my life, I am reminded that I will forever be the student. I will always learn from people, experiences, conflicts and from these things, God will speak to me. In worship, prayer, walking, God is forever in conversation but through these moments and individuals, God teaches me.
Back when I had that conversation with my grandmother, I realized that without the application of faith, we loose the meaning behind what we believe. If God is who we say he is, then why not? Why not love him with all your heart and love your neighbor as you would love yourself? Why not ask and receive, seek to find, or knock to be answered? Why not pray to understand and read to get clarity? Why not?
Not as some test of power but because that is what we believe. It seems that we were given all the tools to impact nations, yet many of us (including me) will choose fear before faith, without even making a ripple in time. We are so afraid to critically analyze or think past what we have been taught, for fear that we are going against God. We are afraid to trust God to change not only our hearts and actions, but the actions of those we hope to impact.
Honestly, I feared thinking past what I was given at one point in my life because I was afraid of being wrong. I was afraid there would be an answer that rocked my foundation so much so, that I would no longer believe. Yet, how is that faith? If I only believe as long as I plug my ears and nothing challenges me, how can I really say that I know that I know. . .that I know. You know? (lol, just a little comic relief)
Facts of life. . .God will exist, whether I understand things about him, or not, whether I have faith or not, he is the constant. It's me who is rendered ineffective by the fear to question, understand, believe, love and change. For me this is where I began to seek after God's heart. This is the "new religion," understanding, building a relationship, and falling in love with God without fear.
People, both believers and non-believers, are beginning to ask questions that we have been afraid to address with an open heart. We are beginning to want more from God than the texts on the page, a few hours in church, and a rule book on how to get into heaven. This new religion is not new at all, its the same religion that Christ came to provide under the new covenant against the Pharisee's warped understanding of law. It is not the law that is bad, it is that without love, we cannot fulfill it.
My question is have we become the new pharisees? Consumed and completely missing the point.
Food for Thought.
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