The fundamental religion of most of mankind is the faith that God has revealed Himself to us and not to the barbarians. Our tribe is the one God chose and so if we vanquish the other tribes and rain fire and destruction on them, we�re only carrying out God�s Will.There is a countervailing faith that says that God is in and of the world and has bestowed vast gifts to be shared with others, and that our understanding of God is faint and incomplete and so we should walk softly and not assume too much.
I like that. Not quite down with the "in and of the world" part, but I like the rest of it. None of us has a corner on the market of understanding God. In fact, I daresay none of us completely understand him at all. Paul even tells us this in one of his epistles. Our perspective of God, at the moment, is as if we were looking through a dirty window (that's how I interpret it, anyway). I believe there are some things we can know, such as how salvation is gained through believing in Jesus, and that he is, in fact, the only way to gain access to God. But when we become belligerent, Bible-thumping believers (hee), I believe we do God a great injustice. Perhaps we should be more like the "visitors..." "We are of peace...always."
Those words give me great comfort. I've been climbing uphill for the last couple years. (Don't fret...I know I'm not the only one.) Chances are, 2010 won't be much different. But, at least, I'm hoping that my attitude about the uphill climb will change in this next year. I want 2010 to be a year that exemplifies, for me, Psalm 150. 2010--the year of praise!
From Calvin: "The Psalmist, therefore, in exhorting believers to pour forth all their joy in the praises of God, enumerates, one upon another, all the musical instruments which were then in use, and reminds them that they ought all to be consecrated to the worship of God." And the final words in this book of devotions, "...that we may worship God with constant sacrifices of praise, until being gathered into the kingdom of heaven, we sing with elect angels an eternal hallelujah."
That, my friends, is what it's all about. That is the ultimate goal of this life.
Father, as 2009 closes out, I pray for a better year for us and for everyone that we know. It seems that many people I know have been under some kind of attack or trial during the past couple of years. Let us find hope in you during 2010. Let us be comforted in our struggles. And if the struggles continue, just as they have, then give us more strength to bear them with heads held high and eyes fixed on YOU, instead of our problems.
I wish you all a happy and prosperous New Year.
Grace and peace, friends.