A Little Morning Reflection

     I lived most of my life not trusting that God loves me... even though it's the foundation of the good news found in the Bible. The church mostly reinforced that misguided perception and gave me religious prescriptives on how to better myself to earn and merit blessing and favor. "Do's and don'ts... Rules... Laws... Etc." A complete guide on how to earn and merit blessing and favor. THE most important day in my life was when I finally turned my back on these misguided and useless means of getting Gods attention and simply said to myself, "His promise is enough!" If God cannot make me and KEEP me in good standing with himself through faith alone... I have nothing else sufficient to accomplish that fact. No currency, no gift, no sacrifice, no offering, no work... nothing. It wasn't easy to come to that conclusive place, or to rest in that decision after years of depending on my own religious self-improvement (or self-righteousness). But, in time, it slowly began to sink in. I often feared when knowing I had done something wrong, out of character, or hurtful to others, as we all do from time to time, and would consider opportunities to take matters back into my own hands to try and fix things that I needed to trust God alone to accomplish. We've all found ourselves in that place. Left unchecked it can lead to becoming more deeply entrenched in every kind of irrelevant and destructive religious practice and pattern that, when applied, makes us feel better about ourselves through pride of accomplishment, but truly brings no greater position of right standing with God. What it DOES do is frustrates His goodness and grace in our lives, and cancels out the need to trust His love. There is no need to trust the promise or accomplishment of another when we depend on our own merit. And with God, you can't have a little of both!
      After all these years I'm still not without that urge to fall back into this practice. I'm human... But it's become much easier to trust Gods love than it used to be, even though I'm not perfect and often get it wrong. I no longer have to live with a self-inflated notion that I am such a "good Christian" and, as a result, I am much happier and at peace for having a more realistic outlook on myself and life in general, and how it all relates to a relationship with a God who has and always will love me. I'm no longer trying to follow all the religious prescriptions for being "holy" but living to know the heart of Him who did not come to condemn the world, but to save it. Romans 5:1 "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through of Lord Jesus Christ..."

The Firm Ground of Truth

     I recently read this quote on a friend’s Facebook page: “I'd rather run alone on the Firm Ground of Truth than stumble along with the crowd in the muck and mire of men’s messages.” Although I understand where the person’s heart is on the matter, I wanted to respond with a presentation of what might be considered a “flip-side of the coin.” This is by no means meant to be disparaging of the person, or their relationship with God, or anyone else. Just a difference of opinion and why such a statement is exactly what holds people in a place of becoming spiritually stagnant, and even possibly fearful of what else might be worthwhile of learning.
     There are so MANY concepts of what a "Firm Ground of Truth" is. For years I held onto my own definition that was passed along by well-intending believers who lived by their given perception of it, and at that particular time were used by God to help further along my own fellowship and knowledge. Looking back from my present vantage point, I would say that much of what I was taught and held as “truth” to be error. Even though the Bible warns that we're not to be moved by "every wind of doctrine" I have seen the need in my life to EXAMINE EVERYTHING once embraced as "truth" with the underlying motive of discovering what is relevant, lasting, useful, inspiring and faith-producing, even with certain elements of common sense.

     In every denomination there are those whose PERCEPTION of "Firm Ground of Truth" is fully functional, scriptural, accurate and unshakable, and it will grossly conflict with the "Firm Ground of Truth" of another. So, keeping that in mind, I have decided it best for me to LISTEN to the MESSAGE of many teachers, because according to 1 Corinthians 3:22 (regarding various teachers) Paul says, "...all are YOURS." My understanding of doctrine and my "Firm Ground of Truth" have changed more than several times because of the MESSAGE that different teachers have brought forth in their time, and according to God's purposes, who I trust is at the helm of my life and direction. So... I'm good with the fact that I am not fully understanding of "truth" in its epic scale and proportion and detail. I pray I will never present myself as one who has a fully solid grasp of the knowledge of God to the point that I plant my feet doctrinally and become indifferent to the voice of what might well be the voice of the Holy Spirit.

     Too many people read the same book and disagree largely on the most simple and elementary issues, which proves to me that right now we ALL "see through a glass darkly."  If our "FIRM GROUND OF TRUTH" is based on the cringing fear of an angry God whose purpose and pleasure is extending punishment to a broken humanity, or forcing us to comply to rigid codes of appearance, religious behavior and regulation... then our foundation will produce the corresponding unfruitful works of judging, condemnation, anxiety, hopelessness and despair. And all this will be done in HIS Name. (Which I find excessive and rampant among church folk anyway.) IF our previous foundations were similar and we find our way by God's design into the light of the Good News of salvation by grace through faith... we have a better shot of living in the light of His wholeness and gaining a clearer understanding of what a foundation for a "Firm Ground of Truth" is all about. But, if we can then learn to walk in the LIGHT of what we DO understand, there is a chance that we can live as a reflection of the glorious TRUTH that is revealed by the LOVE of God as manifested in Christ. With that in mind, I will listen to the many teachers in hopes of learning something, because, as Paul said, "they're all mine" and I've got a long way to grow.

Drink deeply...