Race and Religion or God?

I recently listened to a song that my sister sent me and to be completely honest I don't know who sings it or what the name of the song is. The one thing that I do know is it is profound. The author of the song is talking about God ( I know, I know, not so different yet) however, she starts singing about how people have a "race and religion" and she guesses she does too, but what about God? She also mentions walking underneath a star filled sky and how can we do such a thing and not think about God... it has just got me thinking. What about God?

I have been on a journey here recently to truly get to know God... not my beliefs, not my religions, but God. Who is this lover that Misty Edwards sings about? Who is this radical revolutionary that Shane Claiborne writes about? Who is this God that loves me for just who I am and not what I do, just me being me? Being 7 months pregnant with our first son (and child for that matter) has made me think even more. I don't want to just teach my child about God - we all sang the songs but do we really think about Jesus loving us and not just singing the lyrics to our children at night? I want my son to know God and I want to know Him too. Not just for religion's sake, but knowing an amazing lover, creator, and friend.
- Vivian

If God is so good......

"If God is real, if God is so good, why is there so much evil in the world?" This age-old question seems to follow those who love God around. How do we answer this question?

I know that God is good because of my experience with him. Yes, of course, the many blessings he has so lavishly given me-my husband, my 4 phenomenal children, my extended family, my friends, even my possessions shows his goodness. But what about those rough times-the tension at work, the financial strain, broken friendships, death, sickness-is He really in that as well? Have I experienced His goodness in those too? Of course these things seem small compared to the poverty, sickness, starvation and wars in the world. So how can God be good with all of that going on right in front of him?

I recently attended a conference where a speaker pointed out that it's because of God's love and goodness that things aren't magnificently worse! What if we each acted upon everything that might be in our hearts and our minds? Can you imagine what the world would be like then?

It's often because people DO act upon what is in their hearts and minds that there is poverty, disease and war. Corruption often stops the flow of food and medicine to those that need it most. But that's not God's fault. He allows us to choose--or not-- his goodness. "Choose life....", He says.

But even when life for me is hard, when I'm tempted to ask that age-old question, I remember how he has brought me through each challenge--and has taught me something I needed to learn that I could not have learned unless I experienced it myself--often empathy for others. A "classroom lecture" would not have done the trick.

So yes, God is good. Even when we are surrounded by "all the bad things in the world", we can rest assured that there is no evil in Him.

-Delisa

What is a vivid Easter memory for you?

Stephen here:

About 8 years ago I was wanting to create a visual to help teach my young kids, 5 and under, about the sufferings of Christ. His sufferings were not deserved, but were necessary for Him to relate with me and to die for me. Anyway, we lived in KY at the time and I had passed an un-mowed field with thorns and briers growing in it. I cut some down and took them home. These were the nastiest thorns I had seen in the area. They were hard as wood and razor point sharp.

I was going to take a little time one Saturday afternoon to connect the strands of thorns together and make a crown of thorns for display and a physical touch for the kids. It became a frustrating process. The thorns were so sharp I had to wear thick leather work gloves. I used pliers to grasp and intertwine the thorns, but it just was not working well. It was taking longer than I thought and I kept getting painfully stuck with the thorns.

Finally, my temper went off and I went in an anger burst. I yanked and jerked the strands together forcing them with all my strength not caring how badly I would be stuck by the thorns. It seemed to work- the crown was complete. I hadn't gotten that mad at anything in a long time.

My rage bothered me. I had a flashback to what the soldiers must have been like putting the crown of thorns together- getting frustrated, cursing, and slamming the thorns on the head of Jesus. Their rage and hatred for Jesus was released through flogging, beating, and torturing him. I felt their rage that afternoon and I realized that my sins and evil ways weren't any worse than the Roman torturers that day. I need someone to cleanse me of my evil ways and sins as much as anyone else. And He has - thank you Jesus.

What is a vivid Easter memory for you? This memory serves me well each year during Easter time.

Hebrews 10:22, "Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water."