Believe it or not, today in the Cape Cod Times I read about two Gods. It seems most everyone, with the exception of the Atheists, believes in one sovereign God that connects with His people in many different ways called religions. Many religions, still one God. The two Gods I read about today are different because of the belief that lies in the hearts of the believers. Some believe in a judgmental God, others believe in a loving God. The question is: Which God serves us better in the midst of the turmoil our world is in today? Or, the better question, which God is it better for us to serve in this uncertain world?
A Baylor University survey was actually done on this and the findings do seem plausible. We live in times of high anxiety and it was found that people who served a loving God fared healthier, stronger, and better in general than those that serve a judgmental God. Without going into the specific findings, (they can be found on today’s editorial page of the Cape Cod Times. The article is entitled: Healthy Thinking About the Almighty by William McKenzie) it stated that those who serve a judgmental God, and attend fire and brimstone churches, experience a significantly higher level of anxiety and anger in their lives. I can see that – if someone were shouting “Sinner! Repent!” at me all the time, I’d be anxious too. Those that serve a loving God with a warm relationship and believe He is responsive to them, were found to have fewer mental issues, and “churches that espouse a loving, warm God, best allay our worries”.
I, myself, serve a loving God – and it’s a good thing because I supplied enough anxiety and fear for myself this past year and He spent 11 months taking it away. (or I should say, teaching me how to let it go) My God is kind and loving, but no pushover either. He grabs me by the collar and gives me a wake up call when I need it and He slows me down and makes me pay attention, such as this month-long “listening experience”. (I tried a couple of times to offer Him suggestions, but I still get “listen” – I don’t think I’m ever going to get that personal assistant’s job). I guess this is what you’d call a responsive God, even though for the last 11 days His only response is “listen”. Difficult as it is, I appreciate my God just the way He is. I have never felt so centered and peaceful. Listening and not asking, begging, and doing has begun to teach me that my whole world really IS in His hands. I am beginning to know exactly what that Paul dude meant by “the peace that passes all understanding”.
And so, as another day goes by, I guess everybody needs to find their own Jesus (He’s a topic for another day), and ..I have written.
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