Stir Things Up

I got a little fired up about something recently. It happens. A good friend of mine was telling me about a new small group bible study her husband and she had joined. While in conversation regarding how people viewed God, she told me that a word was thrown out in the midst of the discussion, the pondering, the wondering, and the imagining of how different people view a very complex loving God who created a vast and diverse universe. DANGEROUS. Not in the sense that God himself was dangerous, but that certain ideas about God are dangerous. Given my background in theology, I understand the concern- not wanting to build a relationship with a picture of God that is false.

However.

I do get a little testy when an individual uses their God-given imagination to envision the God they love, fixating on one important attribute or another in a way that prompts worship in their very soul and then told that is dangerous.

This. This is letting fear stamp out a beautiful, creative thing. God gave each of us an imagination in order to use it. To picture him, to draw near to him and to worship him. Fear has no place in this. Fear is of the devil.

God uses the word Selah- to wonder- in scripture. It is to be encouraged, to turn our thoughts towards God and wonder what he is like. Yes, we cannot fathom the full complexity of His being, but he does desire us to try- to seek after him.

We are already so loved and desired after by God. Loved one, do not allow fear to get in the way. Be brave. Ask questions, out loud even. Do not fear what others may think. You may just prompt something new in their own journey with God. Now wouldn’t that be amazing? Stir things up.  Draw near to God.  Wonder. Selah.

So, as I was scouring Etsy for Christmas gifts this year, I found this beautiful spoon. Stir things up. And I bought one for this friend of mine and one for myself, as a small reminder to be brave, ask the questions and stir things up.