–mewithoutYou, “Four Word Letter (Pt. Two),” Catch For Us The Foxes–
This could very well be be my mantra for the next eleven months on the World Race (or maybe my whole life). I have my view of who God is…through my 22-year old white male educated liberal western mind. And I have my view of what His love means…but again, that is through all my biases, culture, and environmental circumstances. I am sure – and surely will become more certain as I travel around the world – Christians in different cultures perceive God differently and interact with Him differently. But they are still Christians, no? Are my ways of “doing church” and my doctrine and specific theological points better or more right than theirs? No, and again no! It’s simply my tradition, my rituals, my praxis. I am so stinkin’ excited to see where I am spiritually after the Race… several World Race alumni that I have talked to have said, “I know so much less about God now than I did before I went on the Race.” How awesome is that?! God is going to blow me out of the water and climb right out of that box I think I have Him in (but really, I have imprisoned myself in it instead). Even over the past couple years God has opened up my brain so much in regards to who He is, what He’s about, and how He works. Now, imagine living with fellow Christians from 11 different cultures over 11 months! Think of the people, traditions, music, miracles, sermons, and everything else we will experience. And though you can argue theology or doctrine til you’re blue in the face, you cannot argue experience. Nobody can deny another’s experience.
I have all my beliefs about who God is and what it means to follow Jesus. But I don’t want my beliefs. I don’t want my idea of who God is. And though it may take me a lifetime to get there (or maybe more accurately, it may take a lifetime and I will never get there) I still will seek that. This is my big journey, my pilgrimage to the Father.
God of Peace, I want You.
