What I don't believe

A few days ago at work a woman handed me a small tract entitled "You can rely on Me! - A message from Jesus"

It is published by The Family International. I accepted it and was going to throw it away when I realized that this was an opportunity to better understand those that also confess to be Christian. I read the small pamphlet and I would like to share my thoughts on it with you.

The pamphlet proposes a 'Christianity' that is a personal way to ensure your own safety. According to them, if you trust in Jesus and pray to Jesus than no harm will come to you. This ultimate, almighty, all powerful creator of the universe relies on us. If we only trust him and pray than we will be ensured safety. "I also need you to pray because that activates My ability to keep you and My power to heal and to save." The realm where this Jesus lives is the place where miracles are possible. If we simply believe in Jesus and pray to him we are going to be safe in this life and in the next to come.

Obviously, this is not the Christianity that I believe. The glaring contradiction is that this all powerful God who so loves the world that He sent His only Son, would then withhold that power while He waits for us to pray to Him. Can you imagine a Father who had a dinner prepared for his son watching his son go hungry while he waited for his son to say "Can I please have some dinner, father?" Is that the God that sent Jesus? I hope not. (In fact, this might be biblical) I cannot believe in a God that is so unloving as to wait for us to pray so that this all powerful power can be released.

If God is perfect and powerful than who are we to be needed by this God. If God truly loves us (even though we are not perfect) than why would God withhold any good thing from us, simply because we did not ask in the correct way. This can lead to self blame and ignorance of the miracle of life that is around us all the time. If we are always waiting to be perfect so that we can finally receive that miracle that God is holding out on us than we miss Life. We are not Living - we are simply waiting. When we make God into this powerful being that doles out gifts and favors in the form of miracles we are limiting both ourselves and God.

God is so much more than an almighty being that gives miracles to the righteous - God is the source of love and power and goodness in this world. God is the ability for the mother of a murdered son to forgive the murderer. God is the beauty of the sea ebbing and flowing continuously. God is when people choose peace over war. God is in the good things that people bring here on Earth. God is when two children share on the playground. These small every day instances are the face of God. This is the God that I can and do worship.