The God Who Gives Us Space

I've chosen to use The Renovare Spiritual Formation Bible for my Bible reading trek this year. This is a Bible I received for Christmas 2006. As I come across new insights while reading, I'd like to share a few of them from time to time. The first new insight was in Genesis 2 & 3. Although Adam and Eve walked and talked with God in great intimacy, God was not always looking over their shoulders.

God was not constantly and immediately present, even before the Fall. He "made room for them to obey or disobey." This is amazing to me. We have a God who does not constantly hover over us, breathing down our necks. He gives us space. "This space allowed by God's 'absence' is necessary. In order to move beyond unknowing innocence, we must develop a character and an identity that freely seek harmony with God."

From the very beginning, God does not impose His will on humanity. He grants us the freedom to make choices by "absenting" Himself. His constant, immediate presence would preclude such choice. Of course we need God's presence, but He allows us to choose it...to choose Him. The consequences can be disastrous, and it is God who bears the brunt of the pain. We often blame God for allowing others to make wrong choices, not realizing that He suffers the rejection perhaps most of all.

"We are formed by our reactions and choices to what God puts before us." The good news?--He keeps on putting Himself before us...if only we have eyes to see and ears to hear. And the process of drawing closer to Him, though it be slow and painful at times, is precisely what we were made for.

(All quotes are from the opening essay of The Renovare Spiritual Formation Bible, "The People of God in Individual Communion," pp. 1-5.)

Numbed by Choice?

Recently I caught myself switching stations on my radio because I didn't care for the song that was playing. This is nothing new--in fact, such jumping from station to station frequently drives my wife crazy. So...why do I mention it?

The song I rushed to silence was a song of praise to our God. I didn't like the style or the guy's voice, so why should I listen to it? I am not suggesting that we need to subject ourselves to sub-par performances just because they deal with faith. What bothered me about this occurrence was how flippantly I dismissed the song. This was a song of reverence, yet I didn't think twice about rejecting it.

I'm not a high-churcher, but I really appreciate some of the rituals they embrace. I love the idea of standing for the reading of the Word. I will never forget being criticized by old women in Europe for setting my Bible down on the floor--this was disrespectful. I have so many Bibles, I don't give it much thought. But I think those ladies had a point--lack of respect tends toward rejection.

We are bombarded by choices today. We have Christian radio, tons of books, denominations galore, and even (Lord, have mercy) Christian television. I have more books than I could read in a year, and yet I want to buy more. Choice is a great thing. I celebrate the wealth of quality material that's out there. But I fear that choice has created in us a buffet-style mentality of sampling much, but feasting richly on very little. It has also given rise to a critical attitude, one where we critique the form rather than appreciating and embracing the message.

I want to fill my mind with that which is true, right, pure, and lovely (Philippians 4:8), but I don't want to just flit from place to place like a dragonfly over the surface of the waters. I want to drink deeply. This takes time and repetition. It takes commitment and faith in God.

More than anything else, I want to retain an attitude of reverence. I am sure I will change the radio dial from many more Christian songs. Yet as I do so, I don't want to be flippant. I don't want to grow callous. Reverence for God is something I want to cherish.

"May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer." (Psalm 19:14)