We all have a story. It is the story of our life -- where we started, where we have been, what we've encountered, what dreams we have, what disappointments we've experienced, what hopes we have. sacred space is a place to share our stories with one another.
For this coming Saturday, February 24, we will take time to share our stories -- and then ask the following question as well -- "Where have we or do we see God in our stories?"
I think this is an important question. Especially, as last week's blogpost asks -- if God was one of us in the person of Jesus of Nazareth -- then how do we experience/encounter God today if not through our lives, our stories in which God reaches out to us. If God indeed does encounter us, then there have to be clues in our lives, in our stories that help us see God. -- so "where do we see God in our stories?"
Looking forward to connecting with those who come to engage in this time of sacred space together. See you Saturday.
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Stories... We all have them, the question then becomes, "have we let our past change our belief of who God is? We change towards people, the Church, our attitudes etc... But, have we changed our God. Have we created a "entity" of only love and acceptance? A God of total acceptance towards all and everything. Have we all screwed it up? YEP! no doubt. So to make it better, lets create a the all magical God of "OKY-DOKY" all is goooood!!
hey t...
we really didn't get a chance to talk about this post yesterday.
as usual, i'll take the bait... ;>)
1st. how about not "our past" but "history" period ?
2nd. we didn't create the god you speak of, he/she was always there...
god declares... i am LOVE...
that LOVE is UNCONDITIONAL !!!
so i ask... how many have experienced that kind of LOVE ?
god offers GRACE... UNMERITED FAVOR
how many take advantage of that ?
3rd. god saw creation and declared it good...
have we screwed it up ? NOPE !
only in our minds...
god freely offers a new mind...
how many take advantage of that ?
god's will is being done and that's... oky-doky with me !!!
love that oky-doky !!!
peace out ... t.f.
Right, we didn't create God, but our opinion of Him changes.
The God of the Bible: too many references to Him as male, to be "she"...
Unconditional love: I experience it from God. Don't expect it from man, he's not capable... God loves us so much He'll honor any choice we make, even to live apart from Him!!
Unmerited favor, every born again believer takes advantage of it, though they may not fully understand it....
New mind: Christians take adavantage of it. Don't conform to this world, be transformed by the reneming of your mind!!
Then you'll know my will!!
Love.....God of the Bible
god of oky doky, all is ok: rape, murder, robbery, incest, slander, etc.... Is that God's will??
Hey t...
Like Roland said...
"We all have a story"!
God of the bible being male, a tricky statement.
For me, God is spirit, neither gender applies. The Holy Spirit even appears as a dove and fire.
I think God can appear any "way" he/she wants.
I guess if ya wanna make God a male and He Loves men and women, He must be bi-sexual...
I think that's a sin... ;>)
It looks like we agree about Love, Grace and a new mind transformed by God's Spirit. I just happen to believe that God commands man to Love God and "ALL" those naughty "people" that do all those naughty "things" that you listed.
I don't think God would command us to Love like "HE" does (unconditionally), if we were not capable do it... How to "do it" is where the problem comes in.
Oky Doky, Maybe we should pray... "thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven"... Amen ?
That's "my story" and I am stickin' to it!!! t.f.
Awesome subject that's so practical and important in our understanding of each other in gender!
How does the God of the Bible self identify? If I remember right, In Genesis God self-identifies as "Us" (Let "Us" make hunanity.) The first self-identification with gender is when Jesus is born as male, establishing a "Father-Son" relationship within God... maybe because later the Bible talks about people as being the "Bride" in some kind of intimate relationship with God. Other than that, gender identifications of God are all by the patriarchal cultures of the Old Testament... just an assumption, like slavery and polygamy... not necessarily rooted in truth.
My question is why does God accept the title "Father" in the New Testament but leave out "Mother"? I understand the God/husband people/bride thing... but what about paternal/maternal roles? Doesn't God bear them both?
Howdy John,, I believe in Genesis, if God refers to us, He's speaking in the Trinity form.. Actually the first gender identification was with Adam: He created man in His own image, later giving him a helper: Eve..
I don't think there is sex to Gods' identity at all..
He used the sex gender identity for our understanding.
The bride: was directed towards the Church not an individual..
Jesus had a mother and father (earthly) God never claimed to be both! He took the male role.. He could have made us both... God gave woman total respect. Look at the Virgin Mary: the most recognized and famous woman ever throughout history..
Interesting stuff!!
Hey Thom: I'm glad to hear Saturday went well.. Missed you guys Saturday night.. Tom O..
Interesting dialogue on God, gender, etc. I appreciate you all sharing your mind on this. As usual I find myself listening and am not sure where to jump into this discussion -- if I need to at all. But whatever understanding we have of God (especially if we try to understand God in our image, through our experiences, etc), we need to be open to allow God to reveal to us who God is. This requires us being open to relationship with God. As in human relationships, if we jump to conclusions about persons, we tend to short circuit the relationship, rather than being open to discover the other (as well as ourselves) in and through the relationship. There is much we do not know about God, though we come up with many ideas -- but God is one who invites us into relationship with him (couldn't keep the gender out) and we need to remain open enough not only to discover who God is, but also who we are in relationship with him. I think all of our lives/our stories have "God-moments" in them which reveal God to us (if we are open) and also reveal ourselves to us -- and our need to be fully human by being in relationship with God. That is, by the way, why God became a human being in Jesus -- to enable such a relationship when we discover in our "God-moments" that life is pretty empty.
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