Can
you help me understand the idea behind the question: "How
can I get out of my own way?"
Cartoonist
Walt Kelly once showed Pogo Possum slogging through a dismal
swamp. Pogo said, We have met the enemy, and he is us.
That saying echoed what Jesus said long ago to his disciples,
that they must “die to self.” That, in turn, reflected
what Jesus learned in the wilderness, when Satan tested him
by appealing to his ego and appetite. In order to proceed
with his calling, Jesus had to get out of his own way, by
resisting the siren of pride and appetite and by remembering
who he was as a son of God.
In other words, we tend to become our own stumbling block,
by denying realities about ourselves, by hurting ones we love,
by misreading our needs and yearnings, or, as the country
song put it, by “looking for love in all the wrong places.”
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Why
did God create us?
Good
question, and one that probably isn't in our power to answer
with any certainty. Scripture has two creation stories.
In the oldest, the Adam-and-Eve story in Genesis 2-3, God
“formed man from the dust of the ground” as
the first act of creation. Later, after determining that
“it is not good that the man should be alone,”
God made woman to be his “partner.”
As
to the why of this, the suggestion in Genesis
2-3 is that God wanted companionship; thus, when man and
woman sinned and hid from God in shame, God was in distress
because of losing a companion. But that isn't stated definitively.
In
the second creation story, found in Genesis 1, God created
humankind in his image on the sixth day of creation, the
final act of creation. “Male and female he created
them.” Their purpose was to “have dominion”
over the created order. Genesis doesn't explain why God
wanted that purpose carried out.
In
both stories, the suggestion—again, only a suggestion—is
that God created humanity in order to complete something,
either to complete the created order by being God's special
being in its midst or charge, or perhaps even to complete
God.
These
stories raise more questions than they answer.
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What
if someone rejects my attempts to forgive them "in the
name of Jesus," and instead lashes out and calls me a
"blasphemer"? I take spiritual matters
very seriously. I understand that some early Christians can
only digest " spiritual milk, " while more mature
Christians can handle " the spiritual meat of the Word."
Is this the case here?
As
with any gift, forgiveness can only be offered; its reception
cannot be controlled. Your gift isn't diminished by its being
received with scorn. Some of the gifts that Jesus tried to
give were received in the same way. In turning your cheek,
you have no control over whether the other responds in kind.
I would encourage you to be lavish in your forgiveness and
leave the analysis of the other's response to God.
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Why
do some people learn the Ten Commandments differently than
how the Bible teaches them? It seems like they number them
wrong, exclude some and break others into two commandments.
The
Ten Commandments appear twice in the Old Testament: Exodus
20.2-17 and Deuteronomy 5.6-21. The two versions are slightly
different, as often happened when a story or other material
was told more than once. Remember, we are dealing here with
oral tradition, which was written down much later in time.
In
addition, Leviticus states most of the Ten Commandments in
explaining the life of holiness (Leviticus 19.1-37). In this
section, you will find the origins of what Jesus later offered
as a “summary of the law,” also known as the “Great
Commandment,” namely, love God and love your neighbor.
(Matthew 22.34-40) This summary recognizes that the first
four commandments concern love of God, and the final six concern
love of neighbor.
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I
have a question about attending church on a Saturday and
Sunday. I agree with Genesis chapter 2:1—when God
finished his work and rested, that is the day we all need
to honor God.
Based on the practices of ancient
Israel, Judaism observes Sabbath on Saturday, beginning
at sundown on Friday and ending at sundown on Saturday.
The Christian movement, as part of its effort to differentiate
itself from Judaism, changed the “Lord's Day”
to Sunday. That was mainly political and had little other
meaning. For that reason, when the Roman Catholic Church
wanted to provide an alternative hour for “Sunday
worship,” they didn't hesitate to add services on
Saturday evening.
In my opinion, the issue of
Saturday or Sunday isn't significant. What matters is that
we worship God with all our hearts, souls and minds, and
that we do so on a regular basis within a community of faith.
If that means Wednesday evening, rather than Sunday, so
be it. The point is to accept God's invitation to gather
with the faithful.
The
other part of God's invitation is to put aside our work
for a day. I don't think we need to get legalistic about
that, but the practice seems wise. Customs like spending
time with our families, devoting ourselves to study and
in prayer, and remembering our identities as God's people
strike me as necessary for our spiritual and moral well-being.
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How
can I find peace of mind and give up a relationship that causes
me jealousy and anxiety?
You
have taken an important first step by naming the problem.
A relationship that causes you pain needs serious reconsideration.
In
my experience, such difficult steps are best taken with companions
and a pastor. Healthy and steadfast friends can help you maintain
focus, be of good courage, know that life has a future beyond
this relationship, and have a place to share doubts and pain.
If you have one or two such friends, I encourage you to seek
their support.
Your
pastor can be an important helper, too. (If you don't have
a church home, this would be an ideal time to seek one.) A
good pastor will listen to your problem, help you identify
your needs, and provide ongoing support. I doubt that you
need someone to tell you exactly what to do. Rather, you need
a wise friend for a difficult journey.
If
the situation spins out of control and you feel desperate,
it could be a time to seek professional help from a trained
counselor. Relationship issues are difficult to manage. Sometimes,
a totally objective party can help you see more clearly.
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