I read a rather interesting blog about how free thinkers aren’t really that free in their thinking. One area in which that is more apparent than any other is the existence of God.
It was interesting growing up. My parents are Christians from a tradition content accepting what the Bible said about origins. As I soon determined this was partly about faith, but also in the church culture there was a large dose of scepticism where the claims of science were concerned. It was simply the case that if anything contradicted the reading of scripture, that would be thrown out without consideration.
Meanwhile beyond my home, things were very different in the media I consumed and the education system in which they hoped to indoctrinate me (state education is about indoctrination of one sort or another, however they try to cover it).
Here scriptures were either openly derided for being old texts that had no value to our far more enlightened society where Science had answered all the questions of origin with irrefutable evidence. Or at least a sophisticated theory that had the clout of the backing of the scientific community. Given the choice between ancient texts that were never designed to be scientific textbooks and … scientific textbooks, the tendency veered away from treating any particular reading of origins from a scriptural with any seriousness at all.
Through all of this, one thing I didn’t want to be was completely unthinking. I didn’t want to just be another klutz going along with the church just because Mum, Dad and the elder said so. Similarly I didn’t want to fit in with the prevailing social trend, just because it was the prevailing social trend.
What helped me to make my own way in the journey was again just bearing in mind those first four words in Genesis.
In the beginning God …
Now I am sure if you don’t have a faith in God those words are part of the ancient texts of irrelevance. Which is fair enough.
My life journey from my mid teens began to take the existence of God very seriously indeed. As I evolved (see what I did there?) I developed a fervent and deep holistic connection with the reality of the divine as expressed in Jesus Christ. That lead me to seek to know God and from there build a relationship with Him through His Son by His Spirit that transformed and continues to positively impact my life. The life, mission, death and resurrection of Jesus is central to this.
As my conviction grew in this, I didn’t dismiss alternative arguments for our origins. I even acknowledged within the wider church there are a variety of perspectives on the matter.
What became critical to me, however, was the centrality of all creation being based, instigated and sustained by the God who is. Before creation, He is. In the beginning, He is.
Looking at Jesus’ consideration on the matter only reinforced that. If Jesus was cool referring to how things were in the beginning, I was cool celebrating God being right there at the start.
That knowing that He is and time itself is a construct He is beyond just makes Him all the more awesome. It’s reassuring to know that my time will be worthwhile if I remain faithful to the God who is. It’s worthwhile because then I get to enjoy a time beyond time in greater relationship with the God who is.
That this truth is simply mentioned at the start bothers those who prefer having all the reasons in the world for His existence. It doesn’t bother me.
Just like the debate about logistics in origins also doesn’t cause me sleepless nights. As He is, He holds power in His hand to do it anyway He chooses and record the matter through whatever source, however old, He wants.
All because of those four words.
For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
C. L. J. Dryden
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