One of the Question Branches

Lately I have been thinking about the idea of how we do not understand God.

I do not understand God. 

There are so many questions I have to ask God. There are so many things that I cannot begin to understand about God. I continually feel like I am learning more and more about God each and every day, but within this, I discover that I understand less than I think I do as time passes. 

I hear a lot of people say that they can't believe in God because ...

..."How can a God who is loving do this..."

..."How can God have done this?"

..."Why would God allow evil in the world?"

..."How can a good God send people to hell?"

..."How could God have been here before time?"

To those who turn down God because of the questions they have, or because they don't have everything figured out... let me encourage you to keep wrestling with things and ask the tough questions. Trust me, no one has God fully figured out... if they say they have God figured out, they are telling lies out of their butt. 

The point is that there are a lot of questions out there in Christianity. We all have the issues and questions. Some people try and shut us down from asking the questions. Have you ever noticed that? Some people seem to have "all the answers figured out". 

One thing that I love about God... is that His mind, His thinking, His reasoning is far above mine. If God did things in a way that I could fully figure out and understand...If God had the mind and thought process that I do, the world would be in for a ton of hurt. 

I am alright with not having all the answers. 

I love that God doesn't expect me to have all the answers, but encourages me to ask the tough questions and talk about them with those around me and search honestly for more understanding of Him. 

What are your difficult questions? 

One of the Friend's Branches

I do not have very many followers yet. But when the masses arrive...go check out this blog...

http://ineloquentanthem.blogspot.com/

It's my friend Tyson's blog. He is a fantastic man with a lot of wisdom and a lot of love for people. We don't always agree on things, but he is way smarter than me, so he always challenges me to new things in my life. Read his blog, and engage the conversation that happens afterwards. It is worth it. 

One of the immature, embarrassed Branches

Well, Something happened to me over the last few days that really has been bothering me. It is actually less of something that happened to me, and more something I did in the past to someone else that has finally come to haunt me.

I had said something online about someone that was poking fun at them. It included no names, but anyone who knows me and them, knows who it was about. At the time, I really struggled with this person, and actually felt like I treated them with the grace and mercy that I should be treating them with. I felt like if Jesus himself was here and saw how I treated this person, he would be smiling and give me a trophy of righteousness (or a crown). I thought to myself, "It was hard, but I have accomplished what most wouldn't do because they are all full of themselves". I felt wonderful about myself.

...However, I made that comment...

I thought never in a million years would that person see the comment, nor would I have to answer to it...well its a small (world wide) web after all. 

The person read the comment two days ago...

They commented back...

I proceeded to send them a huge apology message...

I think you need more background on the situation (even though I am being intentionally vague). This person was at times difficult to get along with, and I chose to try and "be like Jesus" to this person by loving them, and being patience. I was feeling really self righteous about my relationship with the person afterwards... probably because I knew I'd never have dealings with them again...

...However, I made that comment...

Now the person responded to my apology in a very graceful way, and I am ever so grateful and humbled by it. Once again I have learned the importance of being careful of what you put on the internet, and secondly how filthy my self righteousness is. If this person by any chance reads this blog, know that I appreciate you, and think you are a great person. Thanks for putting up with my immaturity, and forgiving my error. I am embarrassed. I since believe that I have matured a little and can look at our time together a little less biased. I have started to realize that although I believe some people are difficult personalities, I need to evaluate whether or not they are difficult personalities because I am one as well. I think my stubbornness and pride can sometimes get in the way and bring out the difficult personalities in others. 

Back to the self righteous talk...

My friend and I were talking the other day about the concept of our righteousness being "filthy rags" (Isaiah 64:6). I heard it put recently that we tone down what was meant by the term.

It's not talking about an oil stained shamwow...

It's not talking about a bbq covered napkin...

It's talking about a menstrual fluid covered "rag"...

...thats how disgusting my (our) righteousness is...

Thankfully, there is hope and forgiveness. One day I will be righteous in the sight of God. Until then I need to work on cleaning up my life and not thinking so highly of myself. 

One of the Following Branches

Well, I never really thought of myself as a follower in this world, except for my following of Christ and those I follow on twitter (which I suck at updating). Recently however, quite a few of my friends have started up these things called "blogs". Due to their creativity, opinions, eagerness to share, and sometimes fantastic ideas, I thought that I would do the same and create a blog. So, I guess that makes me a follower. 

Yup, I am letting others lead me into this trend, except for less people will read what I have to say, and probably more people will disagree with what I have to say. 

I tried to come up with a neat name for the blog, and I stuck with "One of the Branches" because thats what I see myself as. One of many branches that are attached to the vine that are tended to by the gardener. So I see myself as part of a greater plant or "organism" if you will that is cared for by some green thumbed gardener.

So Branches tend to have fruit, flowers, buds, or nests on them and maybe the occasional bee ready to sting. Myself as a branch will probably have moments of all of these things as I spit out what I am learning and thinking through as part of the greater vine and as my gardener prunes, feeds, and cares for me. 

Please give your opinions...fight me...argue with me...agree...whatever your heart desires.