Catching Idle Butterflies

God is a Simpleton

As I said in my last entry, God is far beyond what any one of us can comprehend. Yet, with Him also being about the impossible, could He not then choose to become as simple, or as small as He wants, such as a burning bush, a whisper in a wind, or a human being to teach and suffer death so we won’t have to?

I thought of this after David McClain commented in my last entry: I am a simple man and not one given to deep introspective thought. I simply hold to some basic truths in my life.

God is. I know this because I feel him every time I am rocked by life's storms. He is there to quiet my racing heart and still my fear.

I really can't worry about what others believe or not believe...that is for them to figure out for themselves. For me....God is. I am content.

I love that. I wrote back saying I wish I could be like him more. I can never be satisfied. I’m always seeking, tripping and falling many times along the way. I wouldn’t be surprised if I die stumbling over something.

I’ve always said, “God is wherever you find Him.” Perhaps you saw God in your child’s first toothless, shiny-with-slobber grin, in the blinking, yellowish-green flight of a firefly, or in the astonishing complexity of a fingerprint. Since God wants nothing more than to have a loving relationship with all His children, He can become as small as He likes. Some might say that point of view puts God in a box. To start, perhaps, but though we see Him at first in a small thing, He doesn’t stay there. The closer our relationship to Him, the bigger He gets.

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Speaking of God in a box – or in this case, a building!

I decided to take Disciple II, and last night was our first meeting. We used that hour to receive our new books as well as figure out the day and time we’ll be meeting every week.

Afterward was a Charge Conference, where the entire congregation gathers to discuss and vote on important issues from within the church. Last night’s conference dealt with whether or not to build a new, larger building in a different location, or renovate the current building to meet the needs of the growing congregation.

The people against moving all had the same point of view. They didn’t want to move because they were attached to this 50 year old building. They were baptized, married, and had memorial services for loved ones there. Understandable, but at the same time, I kept thinking, “It’s just a building.” I thought the same thing when others argued for the move.

When Christians first gathered to worship, they did so in people’s homes, not sanctified buildings. God doesn’t care the condition, the largess, or fancy architecture of the building we worship in, but the condition of our heart as we worship. We are the church, not something we build with our hands. After all, nothing we build is eternal. It can be destroyed, either by our hands, or by nature. To have such an attachment to a building borders on idolatry.

Luckily, the majority of those who spoke also said, “Let us remain together no matter how the vote goes. We are here to save souls, and as long as we remain faithful, God will make certain we will have the facilities and means to continue to do so.”

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Dave, Rufus and I had a wonderful time in the Badlands. The weather cooperated, though too hot during the day at a whopping 85 degrees. I took pictures, mostly of the scenery, though I took several of Hubby and Rufus. I’ll add them to a photo album probably tonight. Sorry, none of me. I’m camera shy .

I’ll also write more about our adventures in tomorrow’s entry. Right now, I have to get back to work .

Have a great Monday!