At any given time I am bound to be reading at least four different books, one for pleasure, one for growth, one for it's literary value and one because the others are wearing me out mentally.
Right now I want to talk about the one being read for growth by Steven James titled Story. I am enjoying the book because it is littered with poetry and thoughts of God. Yesterday I hit a line that has stuck with me since I read it, in fact I stopped reading shortly after I read it and re-read the line just so I could digest it further.
"Theology is the greatest threat to spiritual pilgrims when it becomes the game of defining God and gets in the way of letting God define you."
Wow.
The line stopped me dead in my tracks and really made think about how religion in general tends to try to define God. People try to define God.
We want to put our rules and our understanding on Him.
We want Him to fit into our mold of what and how He should be.
That is Theology and all organized religions.
"THE CHURCH."
Any Church.
But a spiritual pilgrim wants God to define them...Hum.
Interesting.
These thoughts are still a baby winter storm rolling around in my head; however, I am sure there will be more on this entry in the weeks to come.
That's what I am, a spiritual pilgrim. Has a nice ring to it, don't you agree?
i'm sending Joe this post of yours. he will love it. and as for me ditto..a beautiful ring to it my love.
ReplyDeleteXOXO
Oh, that gave me chills. There have been times when I have thought of God as the Great Unknowable, because getting a grip on the Divine is just impossible. I love this, and it certainly will give me lots to think about. I'll have to look for that book.
ReplyDeleteGuess I've been lucky in that I discovered that opinion years ago strictly by accident in a bible class. Someone had said that we must always be aware that we as Christians define God to others. A massive light went off in my head and the discussion became heated in that a few insisted that we must define God to others whereas my argument remained that we must allow God to define us. I will never forget that lesson and how so many still dispute that we must allow God to define us.
ReplyDeleteAlways enjoy you.
Spencer
Hmmmm. Yes it does my dear sweet Christina...it fits!
ReplyDeletePeace& LOve,
Jo