One of the joys of teaching others is that we do theology in the real world and our answers must apply to real situations. This is often messier than many of us are comfortable with. I just read an interesting piece about our attempts to understand theology and explain it to others.
I've been searching for frameworks, outlines, contexts; ways to more thoroughly understand what I believe. The studies I've chosen emphasize systematic theology. The very word systematic gives me that Aisle 7 rush. I can hardly wait to be organized!
But there are people—wise, godly people—who grin at me like my husband did at my organizer. "Do you think," asked my friend Barbara, who happens to be a theology professor, "that part of you is looking for control?" I stared at her blankly. No, part of me isn't looking for control. All of me is looking for control. I hate chaos and uncertainty. I am deeply bothered by doctrinal divisions within even the small confines of my own church tradition.
And honestly, I really don't like it when God behaves unpredictably, when he seems to be as much about mystery as he is about revelation, and when he refuses to fit into the slots I have labeled for him.
If these thoughts resonate with you, I encourage you to click on the original article below and contemplate the tension between organization and mystery.
Theology in Aisle 7 | Christianity Today | A Magazine of Evangelical Conviction
Our decision early in 2008 to leave my job and realign our priorities has placed us squarely in the "what is God going to do?" situation. I do not have the experience or the natural ability to effectively map out the path we are on.
ReplyDeleteAs much as I would like to know what is going to happen and control the outcome of our effort, we have to develop the faith to trust that God's plan is the best for us, and let Him lead us through the jungle, even when it gets dark, there's no food left in the backpack, and hungry growls can be heard in every direction.
All theology, religion, three point sermons, acronyms and spritual catch phrases will be useless. It will all depend upon the person of God and what He does.
For over 40 years I have met with thousands of people who were trying to 'climb the corporate ladder'. Too many created a false profile of their abilities and talents and crashed on the way up the ladder.
ReplyDeleteI realized in 1993 that they lacked two things: a clear focus on His priorities and a willingness to recognize and use what God had given them.
It's so easy to get trapped into focusing on the things of this Earth and not building up treasures in Heaven.
We need to simply listen to what He tells us about ourselves through our experiences and through His word continue to grow the person He has made.