Knowing God:

Something To Think About Knowing God:

“Doing Theology” always involves a balancing act.  The first part of the word comes from the Greek word for God.  “Ology” is the study of.  When one sets out to study the God of the universe, they are sure to get to a place where they are over their head.  It has been humbly expressed this way:    “If God couldn’t do anything I couldn’t understand He wouldn’t be much of a God.”   Theologians, both real and would-be have been accused of trying “to put God in a box.”  Clearly, we don’t have a container big enough.  On the other hand, God has revealed himself to us.  While we can’t know God completely, we can know some things about Him accurately.  God reveals Himself, and His ways to us not to satisfy our curiosity, but to give us what we need to know so that we can live our lives as we should.  The New Living Translation does a good job capturing the heart of this from Deuteronomy 29:29.   “The Lord our God has secrets known to no one. We are not accountable for them, but we and our children are accountable forever for all that he has revealed to us, so that we may obey all the terms of these instructions.” The task of the Theologian—whether amateur or professional—is not theoretical; it is intensely practical.  Doing theology is gathering information so that we can successfully do life.   It’s STTA.

The Need For Balance

Something To Think About, Balance:

Recently, I've been working on the skill of being old. For instance I had to work through the transition from encouraging young people to show appropriate respect to their seniors to being comfortable with young people--when did fifty get to be young?--"Sir"-ing me. Much of growing old has to do with balance.  We've all seen folk who spend their social security checks on clothing that looks good on teenagers, but on them--not so much. Aging athletes are famous for overdoing it.  Yet on the other extreme are perfectly healthy folk who just quit.  They become couch potatoes or coffee shop squatters.  They have a lot of living to do, and much to offer, but they just check out. Balance! Maintaining equilibrium is a complicated process.  It involves processing input from eyes, inner ear, and feeling from feet and legs.  That somewhat primal data is mixed with memory--"I remember that stair-tread is loose"--and reasoning--"that grass is wet and the ground is sloping. . . ."  Then a millisecond later that information is transmitted to muscles that need to instantly tense or relax, but not too much, and often one needs to do one thing while another the opposite, then that floods the brain with a whole new wave of data and. . . . Some of you fellow oldsters know what comes next.  The processor doesn't process as fast as it once did, and the left leg got the signal but wasn't up to the emergency task.  One thing that hasn't slowed down is the speed with which the ground rushes up to meet you. Bones that are less flexible, skin that is less resistant to impact, and the slowing of the healing process make the loss of balance more costly than it used to be.  So we find ourselves looking for more sensible shoes, and using hand-rails with more frequency.  Even those choices involve a measure of balance.  I've got enough metal in my body to stock a modest hardware store, but I plan to ride my bike later today.  I didn't say this would be easy. I've noticed that a lot of folk, young and old, struggle with balance.  The finely honed balance of a premier athlete or dancer produces a flowing smoothness.  Those who struggle with balance tend to herk and jerk from one awkward position to the next.  I see that a lot. Example:  Recently the terribly disturbing videos released by The Center for Medical Progress, have provoked a needed conversation.  Unfortunately the tone has often been needlessly, and unproductively shrill.  Precarious positions are being occupied.      I think we need to reach for a handrail and make sure that we keep our balance.  If you are willing to lace up your prudent footwear, we'll walk together for the next few days.  I'll warn you, there are some narrow planks we have to traverse, and we don't have safety lines, but don't get the idea that just hunkering down where you are is the wise choice.  I smell smoke. Like I said, "I didn't say this would be easy." It's STTA.

BALANCE

I hope I'm not imbalanced when I say, "The longer I live and minister the more impressed I am with the virtue of balance.
Take a moment and stand on one foot.  I recommend doing it next to a strong chair or other object where you can catch yourself if need be.  Look straight ahead.  Stand there flamingo-style long enough for a bit of fatigue to set in.  At that point you'll begin to notice how complicated it is to maintain equilibrium.  There are rapid signals, and matching corrections.  Often the corrections will be right, then left, front then back.  Interspersed with those corrections will be the sweet spots--those rare, fleeting moments when you don't feel like you are about to fall.  In short:

Balance is hard.

You can relieve the tension by lying down, or theoretically by pouring concrete around your boots.  Metaphorically, that's where way too many people live.

If physically standing is such hard work, why would we think that maintaining one's standing before the Lord--One Who is infinitely complex--would be simple?  If we think of some of the big Theological arguments we are likely to identify points where balance is important.  Please understand, balance does not equal compromise.  Think back to that physical exercise we did a moment ago.  When my brain tells me that I'm falling to the right, I have to allow that information to have its full impact.  If I don't react properly to that sensation I will fall.  On the other hand, if I over-react I will pitch over to the left.  Balance.

God is sovereign.  --  The decisions we make,
                                                and actions we take really matter.

God gives His people Liberty  --  Yet we must conform to His commands.

God has given human leaders,                                                                
and expects them to lead  --  Leaders too often abuse that power.

My associate Doug Williams is fond of pointing out that there are generally ditches on both sides of the road.  Both need to be avoided.  

Blessed are the balanced.

It's STTA.

Further thoughts on Balance: