FROM: Banbury, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
ABOUT ME: Living the highs and lows of life in the adventurous pursuit of God Himself and of who I'm meant to be as the Bride of Christ.
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Monday, November 18, 2013,6:25 a.m.
THE ANSWER TO LIFE, THE UNIVERSE, AND EVERYTHING
For those hopeful Douglas Adams' fans, reading this post because of its title, no I am not posting a blog about the number 42 (which is, for those not familiar with it, a reference to The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy). Sorry for the false advertising. I do wish the answer to all of life's questions and problems were as simple (though hopefully slightly less nonsensical) as the number 42. Alas, it is not the case.
As I continue to walk through this life and attempt to eradicate old hang-ups and broken perceptions of who I am and who I am expected to be, I find that God - if I listen - is constantly reminding me of the truth in these matters rather than the false ideas and perceptions upon which I have unfortunately based much of my understanding of life.
Today, in my reading through of Romans in The Message, I read this:
I have read that periodically changing the translation of the Bible that you read can help to enhance your worship experience. This has proved true to me for many years, and I often 'change things up.' Recently I decided to read The Message - a translation into 'modern' English from the original language that has in the past given me minor pause regarding the The New Testament, mostly on account of my preferring a different translation. However, I have found that going through Romans in The Message has been eye-opening. Many times I have gone back to my New American Standard to find out what verse it actually was that I just read, since I couldn't immediately think of the more familiar version. The result has been fascinating, and has included a fresh understanding of our basic theology of grace.
Grace is a concept that has always eluded me. I understand it as a concept, intellectually and through faith I accept it, I find it relatively easy to extend grace to others, but when it comes to living life day to day within God's grace, I think I tend to fail miserably. Instead, my tendency is to view God the same way I brokenly view people - as needing to be pleased and to have my acceptance and love - and grace - earned.
The verse above poignantly answers my regular query of how to understand myself and how to live this life well. The answer to understanding who I am is to understand better who God is. This, to me, feels far more reasonable an undertaking. Perhaps understanding God in actuality is more complex than understanding myself, but in my mind it seems a more concrete goal with a generally acknowledged formulae for its accomplishment. Prayer. Study.
Time.
Time with God. Focus on God. These things are the prescribed way not only to understanding Him but also to understanding myself and to understanding life. The only way to do so. Which, in fact, makes great logical sense to me as God's knowledge of me is so far superior to my own. So, teach me, Lord. Both about who You are and, in consequence, who I really am.
Personally, I think that seems a much better answer to the question of life, the universe and everything than Douglas Adams' 42.
As I continue to walk through this life and attempt to eradicate old hang-ups and broken perceptions of who I am and who I am expected to be, I find that God - if I listen - is constantly reminding me of the truth in these matters rather than the false ideas and perceptions upon which I have unfortunately based much of my understanding of life.
Today, in my reading through of Romans in The Message, I read this:
"The only accurate way to understand ourselves is by what God is and by
what He does for us, not by what we are and what we do for Him."
(Romans 12:3)
I have read that periodically changing the translation of the Bible that you read can help to enhance your worship experience. This has proved true to me for many years, and I often 'change things up.' Recently I decided to read The Message - a translation into 'modern' English from the original language that has in the past given me minor pause regarding the The New Testament, mostly on account of my preferring a different translation. However, I have found that going through Romans in The Message has been eye-opening. Many times I have gone back to my New American Standard to find out what verse it actually was that I just read, since I couldn't immediately think of the more familiar version. The result has been fascinating, and has included a fresh understanding of our basic theology of grace.
Grace is a concept that has always eluded me. I understand it as a concept, intellectually and through faith I accept it, I find it relatively easy to extend grace to others, but when it comes to living life day to day within God's grace, I think I tend to fail miserably. Instead, my tendency is to view God the same way I brokenly view people - as needing to be pleased and to have my acceptance and love - and grace - earned.
The verse above poignantly answers my regular query of how to understand myself and how to live this life well. The answer to understanding who I am is to understand better who God is. This, to me, feels far more reasonable an undertaking. Perhaps understanding God in actuality is more complex than understanding myself, but in my mind it seems a more concrete goal with a generally acknowledged formulae for its accomplishment. Prayer. Study.
Time.
Time with God. Focus on God. These things are the prescribed way not only to understanding Him but also to understanding myself and to understanding life. The only way to do so. Which, in fact, makes great logical sense to me as God's knowledge of me is so far superior to my own. So, teach me, Lord. Both about who You are and, in consequence, who I really am.
Personally, I think that seems a much better answer to the question of life, the universe and everything than Douglas Adams' 42.
