Trinity Sunday

Today, in the liturgical calendar, is Trinity Sunday; where our prayers, readings and hymns emphasize the place of the doctrine of the Trinity in our faith.  The service, sermon, liturgy, prayers and readings were all very nice.  But to be honest, I really don't give a fig about the doctrine.  I'm not concerned with making sure I believe it right so that I measure up to any person, group or church's right way of believing or confessing.  There, I've said it, I don't care about the doctrine.

What I do care about is the reality of the Father, Son and Spirit and their loving activity in the life of the universe.  I yearn (I would use a stronger word than yearn if I could think of one) to have greater insight into the limitless pleasure in the Father's heart as He gazes upon His Son.  I would give away all that I have (which isn't much) to experience with the Son the confidence and sense of being He experiences when He hears the Father say to Him, "YOU are my beloved child in whom my soul delights", and just for moments to experience the mothering Spirit that enables both Father and Son to see each other as they really are.

I feel this way because it is the reality that is pressing its truth into life; we ARE the child in whom God's soul delights.  We are seen as we really are and loved and held close.  Woe to those who would tell us that God would love us IF; or God would accept us or forgive us or hear us IF we believed or repented or were baptized or did anything.  Before the foundation of the world we were chosen in Him to be whole and blameless before Him in love.  The last time I checked I couldn't do anything before I was born.  But God chose you and me to be His beloved child; loved, desired, accepted, forgiven and destined to grow into the dream that was in His heart and the desire that is in our own hearts, the person we most desperately want to be.

Actually, I do care about the doctrine.  But nearly as much as I care about you and me truly knowing the love of the Trinity being lavished upon us.

You are the child God has always wanted.

God Believes in Atheists

Today I passed a church marque that stated, "God doesn't believe in Atheists".  I have to laugh at some of the things that are posted on church signs.  But in this case the message hits close to the heart of faith.

The message on the sign was in response to the idea that atheists don't believe in the existence of God.  However, it would be silly to say that God does not believe in the existence of atheists as atheists do in fact exist.  The problem is deeper as it reveals an underlying perception among too many that "believing in" has to do with the acknowledgement of a fact rather than the true relational aspect of faith.  That is to say it is easy for a proclaiming Christian to say they believe in a God; even a personal God, but it is a very different thing to believe in God.  For example, in John 14 Jesus says to his disciples, "...you believe in God, believe also in me."  Few would argue that Jesus is asking his disciples to believe in his existence, but rather to believe or trust in him.  He was asking them to rely upon their personal knowledge and relationship they have experienced with him to enable them to trust him.  One might ask how can somebody trust in a person that they do not believes exists.  A fair question.  But the real question seems to me is how can you trust someone you don't know, you've never met or don't have any relationship with.

Jesus does not ask us to believe in one that we don't know.  Nor does faith have to do with accepting a reality without evidence of any kind.  He asks us to be conscious of the One who is already in relationship with us and is presenting Himself to us at every turn.  We all too often walk through life failing to recognize those who cross our path and failing to enjoy the relationship that is present to us in them.  A parent and a child can share the same house but not be present to one another so they can know each other and trust one another.  Christ's faith in the Father was one built upon his relationship with his Father.  The Father was present to Him and he was present to His Father.  He knew His Father and therefore trusted or "believed in Him".  He allowed Himself to be known by His Father and was obedient to Him because He knew His Father could be trusted.

This acknowledgment informs us that faith does not begin with us but with God.; that God is first present to us, revealing Himself to us as someone who can be trusted.  Someone can tell you to believe in God but this cannot be the impetus of your faith.  Your faith can only be in response to God's relational activity already preent in your life.

If your faith is weak I suggest you NOT to try harder to believe, but to relax and obervent to see how God may be presenting Himself to you.  Remember, you don't have to make God present, but only pay attention to how God is present and relating to you.  If Jesus' encouragement to us to "believe" is valid then God must be the one to make Himself known to us.  Remember "faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.". I would be tragic if we interpreted his to mean that if we read the Bible we will generate faith.  But rather that God is speaking His "word" to us.  His word that "you are my beloved child in who my soul delights".  His word that "you are the child I have always wanted.". His word that you are desired, forgiven and accepted.

If these words move you or stir something inside of I you then maybe God is addressing you through them.  If not, don't worry.  Just be present to God speaking to you however He deems fit to reach you.  The first move is His.
Maybe you don't believe in God.  That's o.k. because God knows you, believes in you and trusts that one day you will be able to respond to His word to you.