I have been in ministry for more than five years now. All my life I have been thinking about God. I can’t think of a time when I was not aware of God’s existence. All this time I have been relating to people of varying degrees of faith. Many running away from God; many running toward God.
I have seen people turn to Him in emergency rooms. I have seen people struggling to find Him in funeral homes. I have sat with people wondering if God existed and what that had to with their lives. I have listened to people weep at how long it has been that they have prayed or gone to church. I have listened to people who are very angry with God. I have listened to children ask insightful questions and grasp the depth of faith in God in the simplest terms. I have listened and watched denominations and traditions wrestle with issue after issue. I have read book after book about God and about trying to be a disciple of Jesus.
And yet, after all the thinking, learning and listening, I think I can boil it down to one question. It is the one question that keeps coming up – emerging from many different places. Places of faith and doubt. Places of hope and despair. Asked directly and asked from beneath a whole bunch of other things. It is a question that is said, and unsaid many times.
It is the “main” question about God as far as how I am hearing. It is part question and part hope and part yearning. I would love to tell you that most of the questions I am asked or issues I am involved at church have to do with the Bible, theology and church order. I do get those questions and that is great. But it is this question that I hear most often being asked directly and in not so many words…
Here it is – “Will God and you (pastors, fellow believers, church members, humans) still love me even if – I mess up, keep messing up, despite all my problems, though I will never be perfect, and even if I am convinced and act as if I am not loveable nor worthy of it?”
It is at the heart of so many things. It is often why people join churches; and why they leave. A lot of effort is put into trying to find the answer to this question as well as proving the answer – sometimes over and over. This question is the driver for a lot searching and seeking not only for God but often then through other faiths and belief systems. It is often why people hide and why people act out to be noticed.
The idea of belonging to, or being rejected by God and others, other Christians in particular is so powerful. It is a fear and a dream. It is the source of unspeakable joy and comfort for many; and unspeakable pain for many too.
Even in Jesus’ time it was. He arrived at a time when the religious people of the time had taken the wonder, mystery and grace of living in covenant, grace and promise with God and turned it into their own “club.” They got very good at saying who was “in” and who was “out.” I suppose this is a human nature thing. Because we could say the same thing about many churches today.
So for then and today, Jesus’ answer to the above question is found in Luke 15. The club people were saying, “This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.” So he told them this parable…(Luke 15:2-3).” And it is the story of having one hundred sheep and losing one and going and finding it and rejoicing in that. “Rejoice with me for I have found my sheep that was lost. Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents (turns to or turns back to God) than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance (Luke 15:6-7).” Translation: “When you are lost; I am going to come and find you and make sure you are back with the group. It doesn’t matter how or why you got lost – what matters is that you are back and we are celebrating.”
As well, later in the same chapter for the son that went away and spent his portion of the family fortune on “dissolute living.” “So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him (Luke 15:20).” Translation: “Welcome home; what happened before doesn’t matter; I am just so glad you are home where you belong and I never stopped loving you. And you belong here because of how I love you not for what you have done or haven’t done.”
The answer to this question of belonging and returning and being loved in spite of ourselves by God through Jesus Christ is “yes.” When it comes to demonstrating this to one another, well, the answer is a “yes” but I think we often fail on this. We get caught up in fear and the past and many other things. I do know this – I think the lowest times of my life have been when I have failed to participate fully in God’s grace for others and people have felt rejected. Likewise the highest moments have been when either I have been the recipient of undeserved grace or I have been an instrument of it – when people have felt like they belonged or welcomed back.
“All of this is from God, who reconciled (Greek word means “make friends with”) us to himself through Christ and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us (2 Corinthians 5:18-19).”
And whether it is about God or one another – there is the part of believing it – believing that God and others can be that gracious and loving.
A matter of faith.
Amen.
Discussion Questions
- Would you agree this is the most asked question on people’s minds when it comes to faith and church? Why or why not?
- If it isn’t – please send me what you think the most asked question is – I would love to hear your ideas.
- Do you believe that God is this gracious and loving? Why or why not?
- How has the desire to belong to a church or Christian group played out in your life?
- Is today the day for you to be reconciled with God or someone in your life – to experience grace or be an instrument of it?
Living Water 