Monday, June 11, 2012

What we're for, not against

There's a story in the local newspaper, one that still is daily for now, about a preacher turned atheist. I fail to find the news value there, but apparently they did.

The problem they faced is finding news in the fact that millions of preachers don't lose their faith.

Why?

Let the prophet Malachi tell the tale:

"The Lord Almighty says," Malachi wrote, "The day is coming when all proud and evil people will burn like straw. On that day they will burn up, and there will be nothing left of them. But for you who obey me, my saving power will rise on you like the sun and bring healing like the sun's rays. You will be free and happy as calves let out of a stall."

That's some particularly difficult language, granted, but the point is found in the latter part of the verses. It is what His saving power will do rather than what his judgmental power will do that I believe we need to focus on.

For too long, still, the Christian right and the Christian wrong have focused on what We don't believe in, what we are against. It is time, far past time, that we begin to look at what we do believe in, what we're for, and learn that we love a God, through his adorable Son Jesus, who loves us like the sun's rays warm us.

The newspaper story said the pastor, er, ex-pastor struggled with, "first, the concept of hell alongside the idea of a loving God. Later, doubts about the authenticity of the gifts of the Spirit over which he presided: speaking in tongues, healings, prophecy," when his doubts overcame his beliefs.

It is hard, sometimes, unquestionably.

It's when we notice not the unanswered prayers but the answered little everyday prayers that our doubts are erased and our beliefs are upheld and we begin to notice the love of God in our everyday life, I believe.

Do I want to move halfway across the state to pastor new churches? Probably not, truthfully. But what I want to do more than anything is follow what I believe God wants. That's what I'm for, not what I am against.

No comments: