God is Bored with Us
I find myself coming back to this idea that God is sitting in heaven bored with the soap-opera TV of our lives. I also find myself coming back to the idea that it is a result of a cheapened value of prayer; in concept and performance. I honestly anticipate in my arrival in heaven being shocked by the possibilities of how I could have acted, what I could have accomplished and how connected to God I could have or should have been. And “no no no” that isn’t a statement saying that I’ve given up my drive to not have those regrets – but I somehow feel it will be a reality.
In all honesty I find that the prayers, and especially “we” charismatics, we pray are problematic. It would seem we always voice things God has already promised and we say it in such a way as if we are to remind God. And if it’s not repeating old prayers, old promises, old prophesies, or praying the tangible Bible we simply fall-back-to ASKING. I think I may just try to finally address the idea of the implementation of the mind of Christ versus ask-God-everthing prayer.
This idea was probably birthed from my phenomenal difficulty with prayers where the climax of them are yelling louder, repeating more often and saying things like “fire-on-you”. I just might not have time for those kinds of things anymore, probably because I just don’t find Jesus doing them. I don’t find Paul doing them. I don’t find Moses doing them. It all seemed much more relational then this idea of begging God by trying to be loud enough or whoever spends the most time being repetitive. If I was God I’d be bored with us – and I’ll try to resist the urge to personify God but… if I was God I’d probably ignore us too. Disappointment isn’t the right word but it’s the first word that comes to mind. See also: A waste of grace. See also: My only Son dieing for nothing. See also: Missing the whole point of Christianity; to have relationship with He who is Other. See also: You’d better change.
I think somehow we need to realize that relationship is more important than spiritual the cannon fodder we want to throw at the devil, its more important than the spiritual ego we want by healing the most people, performing the most miracles, having the largest church, curing the most smokers, drug-addicts, sex-addicts, gossip-addicts and for many fundamentalist Christians force-changing the most homosexuals. Stupid isn’t the right word but it’s the first word that comes to mind. See also: What the hell were we thinking. See also: The life of Jesus. See also: The words of Jesus. See also: The point of eternity. See also: You’d better change.
I know I am quite overdramatic but how else am I suppose to be after being so long within the confines of institutional Christianity. I’m looking for something I can give away to everyone else not this facade and I’m not looking to impress the higher Power, I am however looking for Him to enjoy me like any Father should… And the only way to do that is to communicate with Him. Maybe the answer is simply, just pretend for 10 minutes a day that God actually exists, is real and can be talked too. Maybe that would be the best advice. No more tom-foolery just the simple expression of some people trying to dialogue with the Creator. Love comes to mind and maybe it is the right word. See also: God smiling. See also: We’ve changed; we finally understood.
hugs and kisses,
DSW
In all honesty I find that the prayers, and especially “we” charismatics, we pray are problematic. It would seem we always voice things God has already promised and we say it in such a way as if we are to remind God. And if it’s not repeating old prayers, old promises, old prophesies, or praying the tangible Bible we simply fall-back-to ASKING. I think I may just try to finally address the idea of the implementation of the mind of Christ versus ask-God-everthing prayer.
This idea was probably birthed from my phenomenal difficulty with prayers where the climax of them are yelling louder, repeating more often and saying things like “fire-on-you”. I just might not have time for those kinds of things anymore, probably because I just don’t find Jesus doing them. I don’t find Paul doing them. I don’t find Moses doing them. It all seemed much more relational then this idea of begging God by trying to be loud enough or whoever spends the most time being repetitive. If I was God I’d be bored with us – and I’ll try to resist the urge to personify God but… if I was God I’d probably ignore us too. Disappointment isn’t the right word but it’s the first word that comes to mind. See also: A waste of grace. See also: My only Son dieing for nothing. See also: Missing the whole point of Christianity; to have relationship with He who is Other. See also: You’d better change.
I think somehow we need to realize that relationship is more important than spiritual the cannon fodder we want to throw at the devil, its more important than the spiritual ego we want by healing the most people, performing the most miracles, having the largest church, curing the most smokers, drug-addicts, sex-addicts, gossip-addicts and for many fundamentalist Christians force-changing the most homosexuals. Stupid isn’t the right word but it’s the first word that comes to mind. See also: What the hell were we thinking. See also: The life of Jesus. See also: The words of Jesus. See also: The point of eternity. See also: You’d better change.
I know I am quite overdramatic but how else am I suppose to be after being so long within the confines of institutional Christianity. I’m looking for something I can give away to everyone else not this facade and I’m not looking to impress the higher Power, I am however looking for Him to enjoy me like any Father should… And the only way to do that is to communicate with Him. Maybe the answer is simply, just pretend for 10 minutes a day that God actually exists, is real and can be talked too. Maybe that would be the best advice. No more tom-foolery just the simple expression of some people trying to dialogue with the Creator. Love comes to mind and maybe it is the right word. See also: God smiling. See also: We’ve changed; we finally understood.
hugs and kisses,
DSW
posted by DSW at
12:30 PM
4 Comments:
its been a long time Dave.
Good thoughts. Back to relationship, important to remember that things are to be kept simple and that relationship is the center.
thanks for that reminder.
By
Anonymous, at 2:51 PM
that is some grade A steak food for thought.
the church that i have recently become a part of is quite pentecostal in that way: repeating LOUDLY the mantra that gives them the heebly jeeblies. i often end up leaving early, or twiddling my thumbs, because i, like you, recognize its fruitlessness.
however, some old man that i stayed with here in smalltown BC would tell me that a prayer in the spirit might make not make any sense to anyone.
at the end of the day, i like to look at scripture to steer me straight, and a few things stand out: Moses, Jesus, nor Paul repeated any mantra. there isn't any indication anywhere that they did such a thing.
Moses, did however, face-to-face with God remind Him of His promise to deliver Israel and not destroy them.
i have found that my prayers are simply this: i spend time with my saviour, and tell Him the things of my heart--i tell him the things that i know any earthly person who loves me wants to hear: they want to hear of my passions, they want to hear what i think of them, they want to hear my devotion to them, they want to hear my struggles, they want to hear me needing them, they want to hear that i'm sorry when i offend them... etc.
i wish there was a way to steer the church away from the warm fuzzies, but unfortunately it "feels good" so they will continue this spiritual masturbation...
thanks for the brain juice.
By
Andrew, at 8:01 PM
while i agree with the one point that "pastor dustin" brought up about how God loves to spend time with us and hear our prayers even though they are reppetitve or annoying.... i think that what dsw was eluding to, was, why should we be stuck here in this enclosing box that most of "us" charismatics in our delicate charismatic circles are in when it comes to prayer? yes God loves to hear us pray regardless of how tedious it is.... but why should we be content with just that. we should go for more than just the mantra that has been engrained in our minds and actually talk to God. wow what a concept... being able to have a conversation with a living Creator and actually saying what we feel and is on our minds instead of those-everything is perfect-i ask you for this and this-if it would only be thy will- prayers. once we get past all of that, i think we will finally reach true intamicy and relationship with God. but i can't speak for you dsw. what do you think?
By
Anonymous, at 9:30 PM
Without a better form of dialogue perhaps some of my actual beliefs are not coming across as acurately as needs be.
I like the illustration that Dustin uses in terms of the couple that have been married for 20 years telling the same old stories. But if the stories never change, never grow, never progress, if new stories are not made, if new journeys are not sought then.. we're just living in the past.
I dont actually believe that God gets tired of spending time with us. I just think there are some things we tend to idolize as the real idea behind "prayer". Because if it was just time spent with Him, then God would not have rejected Israel's rituals, ceremonies, worship gatherings etc. (if you dont believe me, actually read Amos for the first time). They didnt share life with him, they did their own thing and thought God would be accepting of that. They would come to him when they please and probably talk about how great it was that God took them out of Egypt.
I think there are mature steps to take and when we actually design our steps to have a God conversation with each one instead of beating the same old drum or whatever metaphor means that idea to you, I think we'll find a relationship like that of Jesus and God. Or Moses and God. Or Enok and God. Or Adam and God.
hugs and kisses,
dsw
By
DSW, at 12:38 AM
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