An article on faith (or lack thereof)
A friend of mine sent this ARTICLE to me to read a while back regarding lost faith. I wrote an email response giving my thoughts:
Hey bro!
Pretty good article.
I don’t like that it places the blame of lost faith on the shoulders of the person who has lost it though. There are plenty of examples in the Bible where it is GOD who pulls away, not the believer. In a book I just finished, “Disappointment with God”, there is a great chapter that addresses a common Christian thought that seems to be echoed in this article. You may have seen it on a bumper sticker: “Feeling distant from God? Guess who moved?” … although this is probably true a great deal of the time, it certainly is not true ALL of the time. Again… even the Bible records that many many many great men of faith at one time or another felt completely removed from the presence of God. Even Christ said, “Why have you forsaken me...”
All that is to say that putting the blame squarely on the shoulders of the person lacking faith is a bit like adding fuel to the fire if that person (in this case ME) feels like it was God who moved … not them.
Believe you me, I have tried tried tried to get “into the stream of God’s grace”…. But at a certain point, it becomes almost offensive to be given the advice that I’m not going to church enough or reading the Bible enough. (I’m not offended with you… don’t get me wrong here). Somebody suggesting that my lack of faith is a result of me “refusing God’s grace” or that I am not putting myself “into the stream of God’s grace” by going to church enough just misses the mark. Its like the words of Job’s friends… true in MOST cases, but so far off in his particular case. (also not suggesting I’m Job… thankfully)
I have to say that the book I just finished is by far the absolute best books I’ve read on the subject. ("Dissapointment with God" by Philip Yancey) The author definitely has a strong conviction and faith, but does a good job giving ear to skeptical thinking… without denying the ultimate reality of Christ and God.
Hey bro!
Pretty good article.
I don’t like that it places the blame of lost faith on the shoulders of the person who has lost it though. There are plenty of examples in the Bible where it is GOD who pulls away, not the believer. In a book I just finished, “Disappointment with God”, there is a great chapter that addresses a common Christian thought that seems to be echoed in this article. You may have seen it on a bumper sticker: “Feeling distant from God? Guess who moved?” … although this is probably true a great deal of the time, it certainly is not true ALL of the time. Again… even the Bible records that many many many great men of faith at one time or another felt completely removed from the presence of God. Even Christ said, “Why have you forsaken me...”
All that is to say that putting the blame squarely on the shoulders of the person lacking faith is a bit like adding fuel to the fire if that person (in this case ME) feels like it was God who moved … not them.
Believe you me, I have tried tried tried to get “into the stream of God’s grace”…. But at a certain point, it becomes almost offensive to be given the advice that I’m not going to church enough or reading the Bible enough. (I’m not offended with you… don’t get me wrong here). Somebody suggesting that my lack of faith is a result of me “refusing God’s grace” or that I am not putting myself “into the stream of God’s grace” by going to church enough just misses the mark. Its like the words of Job’s friends… true in MOST cases, but so far off in his particular case. (also not suggesting I’m Job… thankfully)
I have to say that the book I just finished is by far the absolute best books I’ve read on the subject. ("Dissapointment with God" by Philip Yancey) The author definitely has a strong conviction and faith, but does a good job giving ear to skeptical thinking… without denying the ultimate reality of Christ and God.
posted by Miroslav at 7:32 PM
2 Comments:
God left Hezekiah:
In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. He prayed to the LORD, who answered him and gave him a miraculous sign. But Hezekiah's heart was proud and he did not respond to the kindness shown him; therefore the LORD's wrath was on him and on Judah and Jerusalem. Then Hezekiah repented of the pride of his heart, as did the people of Jerusalem; therefore the LORD's wrath did not come upon them during the days of Hezekiah.
Hezekiah had very great riches and honor, and he made treasuries for his silver and gold and for his precious stones, spices, shields and all kinds of valuables. He also made buildings to store the harvest of grain, new wine and oil; and he made stalls for various kinds of cattle, and pens for the flocks. He built villages and acquired great numbers of flocks and herds, for God had given him very great riches.
It was Hezekiah who blocked the upper outlet of the Gihon spring and channeled the water down to the west side of the City of David. He succeeded in everything he undertook. But when envoys were sent by the rulers of Babylon to ask him about the miraculous sign that had occurred in the land, God left him to test him and to know everything that was in his heart.
2 Chronicles 32:24-31
Are you suggesting I'm Hezekiah?
If so, thats a very bold thing to do to judge the status of my heart as prideful.
Also, if that is your intent, I don't know that Hezekiah is so much to blame. After all, isn't he just a product of God's sovereign design? He was born a failed creature, and returned to that state apart from God's presence?
If I put myself in those shoes... what can a guy do? Its a no win situation apart from God's bidding.
Miroslav
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