Friday 10 February 2017

Conversations About Things That Matter To God

By Raymond Cooper


Humans more often than not are conscious that there is a supreme being. The concept of some sort of god is found in most cultures, although more modern philosophies may be dedicated to the idea of a godless universe governed by chance. However, anyone having conversations about things that matter to God has presumably accepted that God is an entity mindful of man and the things of the earth. So, the question to start with is perhaps: what does matter to God?

There are a couple of ways to narrow this down. One is to look inside oneself and find what makes sense, what feels right. This is probably a universal trait, anyway; people tend to make everything subjective to a degree. However, some people are more comfortable with a belief system of their own making. They accept what they like about ancient teachings and philosophy and discard the rest.

The existence of hell is a good example of something many people reject, even if they are okay with other tenets of Christianity. Those who want to think of the Lord as a loving creator may not accept His role as judge and condemner. The fact that this viewpoint dilutes the value of the crucifixion and weakens standards of right and wrong is not enough to make them acknowledge a loving spirit who also demands atonement before deserved punishment can be averted.

There is another approach, which involves letting God speak for himself. This necessitates the studying of sacred writings. For example, the Lord of the Bible sets forth rules of conduct, reveals himself to his people in many ways, and binds himself with promises if certain requirements are met. There are millions of people who find comfort in letting holiness define itself. This, of course, involves belief in the Bible as the word of God.

The bible as truth has many supporters who cite archaeological discoveries or miracles as evidence. Many are skeptical that God would speak through human authors. Those who believe are as convinced as those who do not.

Two or more are needed for a conversation, and they have to share some ideas. A person who embraces the mystic power of crystals probably won't be interested as much in what matters to the Lord as in what matters to them, what will enhance their life. It will be easier for two believers to talk about spiritual things, since they will agree on many basic concepts.

Some enjoy studying the Bible in an effort to understand God and his expressed will. They are comfortable with helping the poor, since this is a recurring commandment. Discussions of how best to implement this and other obligations are both enjoyable and productive. Those with no one to talk to can listen to Christian talk radio and call in if they want to participate more deeply.

The Bible teaches believers to talk about the things of God. The Book of Ephesians is full of guidance about what constitutes worthy discourse. If spiritual life is important to someone, he or she won't be loath to enter into discussion about it.




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