"Of God, what should we now learn? With sure faith, we ought first to hold He is wisdom infinite; is righteousness, goodness, mercy, truth, power, and life. For utterly no other wisdom there is; no other righteousness and goodness, no other mercy and truth, power and life. Wherever seen, all these come from Him alone. Second, we must learn that for His glory have all things in heaven and on earth been made. Right requires we serve Him for His nature's sake alone; keep His rule; accept His majesty; in obedience own Him Lord and King." ---- John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion
Somewhere in the past 200 years, the basic approach to life and religious devotion changed significantly. In academic circles, the change was relegated to the demise of theology and the rise of philosophy and psychology......particularly existentialism. For those not initiated into those ethereal realms, that means that people have found the "center of their existence" to be their experience of life rather than some higher or divine authority. In short, humankind has despaired of any genuine, concerned God outside human life, and, therefore, they have tried to find their ultimate meaning right here in the middle of their own lives.
What we've accomplished, in spite of all our scientific achievements and advances in the arenas of living, is nothing short of a sterile life of depression and defeat! We can put a man on the moon, but we cannot seem to curb our own appetites for violence, murder, and destruction. The more energy and money we expend upon human self-discovery and self-help, the more deluded we are and in need of help we become!
These tendencies have not escaped us in the religious community. Those of us who call ourselves "Christians" seem to have a never ending penchant for centering our walk of faith in ourselves. We enthrone ourselves and our views of the world! The original sin of "becoming as God" reproduces itself in our lives daily, I'm afraid.
This week, focus instead upon God and His qualities of holiness. Feed on His Word and truly own Him as Lord and King. Serve Him because He deserves it, He demands it, and His love and grace draws it from us. It is when we serve our God because His nature makes anything else ludicrous to us that we can be what Paul calls "instant in season and out of season."
May He be glorified in this dark world through us this week through our words, deeds, and the secrets of our hearts!
------
2001
Somewhere in the past 200 years, the basic approach to life and religious devotion changed significantly. In academic circles, the change was relegated to the demise of theology and the rise of philosophy and psychology......particularly existentialism. For those not initiated into those ethereal realms, that means that people have found the "center of their existence" to be their experience of life rather than some higher or divine authority. In short, humankind has despaired of any genuine, concerned God outside human life, and, therefore, they have tried to find their ultimate meaning right here in the middle of their own lives.
What we've accomplished, in spite of all our scientific achievements and advances in the arenas of living, is nothing short of a sterile life of depression and defeat! We can put a man on the moon, but we cannot seem to curb our own appetites for violence, murder, and destruction. The more energy and money we expend upon human self-discovery and self-help, the more deluded we are and in need of help we become!
These tendencies have not escaped us in the religious community. Those of us who call ourselves "Christians" seem to have a never ending penchant for centering our walk of faith in ourselves. We enthrone ourselves and our views of the world! The original sin of "becoming as God" reproduces itself in our lives daily, I'm afraid.
This week, focus instead upon God and His qualities of holiness. Feed on His Word and truly own Him as Lord and King. Serve Him because He deserves it, He demands it, and His love and grace draws it from us. It is when we serve our God because His nature makes anything else ludicrous to us that we can be what Paul calls "instant in season and out of season."
May He be glorified in this dark world through us this week through our words, deeds, and the secrets of our hearts!
------
2001
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