gods they could control

Yesterday, I made the rare choice to go to Saturday night church at Grace Baptist with some friends from school. The worship and message by David Hegg were great: it was good to be reminded of God's promises and character, and to see the faith of Abram. However, there was one, almost offhanded, phrase that Pastor Hegg offered in his sermon that really made me see something in a new perspective. When speaking of the Caananites in Abraham's day, he spoke of the "gods they could control."

Gods they could control. The more I thought about that, the more I realized the dangerous problem with almost every (if not all) false religion or philosophy out there. The pagans of the Ancient Near East had gods they could control. They were always pressed to manipulate or please their gods by manner of some ritual or sacrifice. When they did it, the god must inevitably respond in a certain way. They taught that the gods were powerful, but it was actually they who could turn the gods to and fro as they willed.

Kind of shoots down the health and wealth gospel, doesn't it? Send in a one-time gift and God will bless you ten-fold! How controlling and manipulative of God is that? It is just like man to fashion a god of his own making that he could control. In fact, it makes perfect sense why many beliefs have moved away from the God of scripture and towards faith in a being that we can have some control over. Sacrifice to make him do this, pray this prayer and he will do that, yadda yadda yadda.

And the more you think about it, the more it should really make you glad that God doesn't answer all of our prayers just as we pray them. Should we actually want God to submit Himself to any and every specific prayer that we pray "in faith?" He is so much bigger and better than that. The God of the bible has no need to subject Himself to our prayers or sacrifices. It goes against all of human nature to invent a God that humbles and works above human thinking like no other, yet that is what scripture presents us with. I see no reason why He can't be real, because no one would have wanted to create a God of infinite mystery, wisdom, and power that we could have no controlling effect over.

Praise God that He doesn't submit Himself in any ways to His creation unless He is working out a plan all of His own.

Some poetry I've written for a class...enjoy!

Summer

I thought my plans would change me for the good
But memories came soon to take their due
The graduation stages called, "Do not
Forget the days you lived and worked for fun!"
I see the sun come up and days grow long
A "little sleep" and "folding of the hands"
And I become a lesser man. Pick up
A friend and throw the disk. Another time
For work will do. So click and click, tick-tock
Tick-tock, and evenings free fade out. They're gone
My spirit longed for profit. Sloth has set
The tone for all my days at home. I dig
Through mediocre games. Can I relight
Their spark and fan the flames of former days?
Put off the hard and we'll relive the nights
Of chance and vic'try, cards and dice, and more.
Thus enter months of wasting, two or three.
But grace remains and calls me back to where
My heart caught fire. What can I say except
That apathy has torn away what could
Have been my finest hour--a time of truth
And beauty for my King.

Life Observation

There are a few things in life that I doubt will ever get old, and I mean that in a very carnal, non-spiritual way. I speak of those things in life that are just plain awesome every time you experience them. They are few and far between, for sure, as even the most fun video game and even one's best friend can become boring or downright annoying.

As of now, two simple pleasures of life that have stood the test of time without flaw thus far are ultimate frisbee and sweet tea. I cannot recall a time in life nor conceive of myself ever getting sick or bored with either of these. Ultimate, perhaps the most perfect "college-kid" sport that will ever be invented in this world. Sweet tea, a simple but wondrously delightful beverage that remains far from delicacy status but never wears down on the taste buds for some reason.

Ah yes, the simple pleasures in life...