A creative God

Cleaning out my bookshelf last month really opened my eyes. We have a fairly large collection of books from our Bible College days and many that we have picked up along the way since then. It was interesting to see all the different books on similar subjects. Add to that, the collection that we just received of religious books from the early 1900's and another from the 1950's and you have an interesting array of opinions on each subject.

How is it that after all these years since Christ established the church we are still trying to get a handle on the rules of the road? We are still trying to nail down the best possible way to have a good quiet time, enhance our relationship with God, tell others the good news, live holy lives, and so on. There are as many different opinions as there are people willing to write a book. I'm sure that each one is fully convinced that they have a great answer to the question, "How?".

Could it be that when God says that He looks at the heart much more than the actions that He was giving us a clue. God is quite capable of making Himself clear on the non-negotiables of life. He had no problem clearly defining the sin of rebellion, or explaining how there would always be blessings for obedience. Why then did He not make the day to day living of our faith more clear.

The law was given after the people of Israel proved that they just could not understand how to obey simple boundaries set up for their protection. Love only God, follow Him, and do everything He tells you to do as He tells you to. The law was an outward discipline for a people lacking inner discipline.

Jesus came to fulfill the law and to usher the Holy Spirit into our lives. God is once again giving us the opportunity to live one moment at a time. Always obedient to the movement of the Holy Spirit.

Perhaps there are so many theories and books because God is a creative God. Perhaps He does not want our relationships and experiences to be the same. He created an endless array of personalities and gifts and wants to customize each of our lives.

It is interesting to me how quickly a new philosophy becomes a legalistic tenet when a lot of people jump on board. One person writes a book, excited about the path of revelation that God has taken them on. Wanting to share with others something that works. Suddenly it catches on and more and more people make a formula out of what was meant to be a personal experience. Then it becomes a "do this or you are wrong" theory.

Why do we who have been freed from the law always seek a new law?

Because it is easier. Give me a list and I will be happy. I will know for sure where I stand at all times. I am either following the list and am OK, or I am not and I know exactly where I am failing. Trusting God with all our heart, leaning not on our own understanding, walking with His word as a light to the next step of our path, following a wild and humanly unpredictable God; now that is just too unsure and crazy feeling.

We want a mapped out plan. We want guaranteed results. We are afraid.