I guess maybe I have not been able to digest all that I have read.  I do not really know how the reading has changed the way I think about the reasons Jesus came or his resurrection.  I have been challenged by the idea of our “eternal destiny” being here on a renewed earth. 

In the reading I was surprised by Dan Wilt’s idea that that we will spend our eternity on a renewed earth.  He writes, “Eternity, for you and I, lies right here on terra firma – earth – only a renewed earth, and a renewed heaven.”  I am not quite sure how I feel about this.  It is a subject that maybe I have more embedded theology than deliberate theology.  I am so used to the idea of going to heaven and spending eternity in heaven but I have never done much research on the topic.  This has prompted me to do some further study on our eternity. 

Perhaps I will have more to say about these topics after a bit more processing of the readings…..

thoughts on question 3 to come.....

Week 2 question 2

I am stunned by creation.  One of my favorite things is to be outside the city where you can actually see stars.  To look and try to find the constellations, watch for shooting starts, and simply be amazed at the handiwork of God.  Creator is the aspect of his character that most draws me.  When I worship it is the thought that God who created the vastness of the oceans, enormity of mountains, and the mystery of the galaxies knows me and cares to have a relationship with me.   The thought humbles me and brings me to a place where I am in awe of God.  It is here that I am able to truly begin to understand what he did for me on the cross.  From this place I think I am able to really worship God in a way that honors him. 

The most sacred true worship service to me is to be seated on the beach.   Hearing the sound of the waves crash onto the beach, watching the sunset on the horizon, and smelling the salt in the air.  This scenario brings me to one of those sacred places that we have talked about.  The sacred place where I am small and God is big, there is less of me and more of Him.    I can see that I am only a dot in a vast world; yet, He knows my name and hears my prayers.

Creation fascinates most of us.  I am overwhelmed at the thought of the Creator, the one who constructed the moon and the sun and orchestrates the tides.  I could go on and on.  To try to grasp the concept that God created a unique finger print in all of us, a heart that beats, eyes that see is impossible.  But I love to try. 

Honestly I think we need a “retelling” of all the aspects of God.  I think we as a generation have such a twisted notion of God and religion and Christianity.  Maybe instead of a retelling we need to actually learn about God.  We need to get rid of embedded theology and actually do some work.  Some research on our own might reveal a God who is much different than we think.  I think we have become lazy as a generation.  Lazy in that we rely on what is said by this person or that instead of actually picking up the Bible and reading it.  I think we might be amazed if we got off of facebook, stopped tweeting, and actually spent a little quality time with God.  We are so preoccupied with the life around us that we are missing the God who loves us.  So many people in our generation are looking for something to fulfill that old void.  But it requires a little work, a little effort, and most of all time.

Week One 

Here we go.