A Different View

Here I sit in Panera Bread with my bagel and coffee, in Los Angeles, trying to develop into words the thought on this journey. My bride tells me I am unnecessarily morbid sometimes, but events and ideas surface that should make us stop and ponder the bigger questions. Life swirls on around us, but that does not mean we should ignore the deeper issues of life. Also, my age and inclination are bent towards these questions, so here goes.

This past Sunday there was a guest speaker at the church where we have camped for the time being. The paid guy had an "issue" with a heart condition and had to have a stint put in (a physical issue, not a religious issue.) The speaker presented his ideas and thoughts in a calm, deliberate manner and, to my delight, did not use a single powerpoint slide or picture. He shared in the heart condition the paid guy did, and with Tim Russert, who recently died tragically and suddenly from this particular asymptomatic disease. A minor point to the sermon was that prayer pulled he and the paid guy through, nothing said about Tim Russert, which made me wonder if the implication was that A. Tim was unfaithful (I don't know) or B. his family didn't pray hard enough, or long enough (also unknown.) C. God was through with Tim Russert (unknown) Dangerous assumptions theologically, but more on that later.

The major point of the sermon was that God spared the speaker and the paid guy because they had a "purpose" specific to them. The following conclusion was that no matter where you are now (spiritually, emotionally, physically) God has a plan for you. Hmmm.
At best this is the sharing of the story with God, at worst it is claiming that the story is about us with God in a supporting role. This mindset is insidious and pervasive. It is, in my opinion, the very reason that American churches are as ineffective as they are. Satan found out long ago that it was better to give God's followers money and entitlement over hardship and persecution.
God has a larger than life and time plan. We are chartered with the task of finding our place in that plan. Guess what? World events will take all of us out of the game at some point. Heart attacks happen, car crashes (yes, even with wildlife) happen, cancer happens, foolish mistakes happen, airplanes fall from the sky...God's plan moves on. We pray to find our part in the story, and it will always be a minor role. We are part of the chorus, not the lead. You see, because of our money and our sense of entitlement we believe the story to be about us, it is God's testament to Don, or whomever. I think God is saddened by our take on his story. He makes it clear through the story of the Messiah that it is about the "plan" and not about us.

So while I appreciate the intent of the message, that God loves me enough to have a plan for me, it occurs to me that I should have enough love for God that I will look for ways to implement his plan in my life, however long or short that might be. This body of mine will weaken and die, as will all those around me that I love. Furthermore, the memory of me will fade over time, like an old photograph poorly saved. But my part in the plan of God will be noted, and the plan will triumph, and in this manner will I gain immortality.

This perspective changes the way I pray, the way I treat people, the way I view my own mortality and the mortality of those I love. It makes me less susceptible to disappointment when things don't go according to my plan, when the journey is too hard to continue. It puts me in my place and God in his.

Anyway, Godspeed until later.
Don