A Very Special Test

We’ve been focusing on Ancient Wisdom – trying to find the things that are so true they’ve never changed. Last week, we got into this bit about how real God is. Today’s mailing may be starting to look like a podcast promo, but you may want to have a listen. It’s in response to a conversation I find myself having at least once a week.

It goes something like this: if God is the only way to ‘real’ life here or here after, and He’s full of love and mercy, then why is He so hard to find (and sometimes to hold on to). The answer (which I took 40 minutes to pound through) is that God wants to be on the other side of love, not math. He wants to be a choice, not a logical conclusion. And I think He’d like to feel that you were at His side because you chose Him, not because you simply hated the alternative.

At the beginning of 1 Corinthians, Paul is writing about how the story of God can seem like foolishness on one side and powerful on the other. Notice how that contrast is a bit mismatched? Foolishness isn’t contrasted with wisdom or cleverness but simply just ‘power’. Maybe it’s because the challenge of finding God is supposed to be a test anyone can pass. That means it can’t be a test of intelligence or cleverness – but something else.

I firmly believe that’s one of the reasons why God waits for us on the other side of a choice that is not strictly rational. It’s some part mysterious, some part challenging and if you take Paul’s word for it, some part foolish. He’s put Himself on the other side of a test anyone can pass – and that means it’s about having just enough cause to look but maybe not so much that any of us are forced.

Just a thought.

I hope you have a great week.

Chris