Searching for God in this messed up world
“His purpose was for the nations to seek after God and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him—though he is not far from any one of us.”
Acts of the Apostles 17:27 NLT
I have spent this morning wrapped up in imaginary explorations to various parts of our planet. This has mostly been achieved with an unlabelled Google Maps page in one hand and an overview of The Explorer’s Club’s website in the other.
Things are so chaotic in the world at the moment that I find myself drifting towards ‘otherworldly’ scenes of natural beauty; high mountain peaks and beautiful wildlife. Dreaming of going on daring adventures with my loved ones, uncovering great discoveries.
Is this an attempt to escape?
I honestly believe 2 things are always at play in our lives, causing both great heartache and great thrill, mostly simultaneously.
The one thing is sin, sin in our own lives and sin in the world. Sin is real. Sin is awful. Sin steals, kills and destroys. Sin is in us. Sin is all around us.
The other thing is God, God in us and God in the world. God is real. God is awesome. God creates, redeems and gives life. God is in us. God is all around us.
I am becoming increasingly convinced that when we take part in a protest, start a company, fight with someone, climb a high mountain or get into relationships, we are actually in some shape or form trying our best to address and destroy sin, while at the same time searching for and reaching out to God.
A sad but necessary realisation I have come to though is that we will never be 100% free of sin in all it’s forms in this life, and we will never ‘find God’ and see Him with 100% clarity either.
What now?
The option I can see is a simple one. Firstly, we must and we must continue to address sin, in us and in the world. We must call it what it is, and attempt to destroy it. But, I have found that I am very limited in my ability to do this. Secondly, we must and we must continue to search for God, with all our hearts, minds and strength. He has the antidote for sin, in us and in the world. He has it because He is outside it. He has it because He became it. He has it because He destroyed the power of it.
This has helped give me some context, and helped frame my current state of being.
I have spent this morning wrapped up in imaginary explorations to various parts of our planet. This has mostly been achieved with an unlabelled Google Maps page in one hand and an overview of The Explorer’s Club’s website in the other.
Things are so chaotic in the world at the moment that I find myself drifting towards ‘otherworldly’ scenes of natural beauty; high mountain peaks and beautiful wildlife. Dreaming of going on daring adventures with my loved ones, uncovering great discoveries.
Is this an attempt to escape?
I honestly believe 2 things are always at play in our lives, causing both great heartache and great thrill, mostly simultaneously.
The one thing is sin, sin in our own lives and sin in the world. Sin is real. Sin is awful. Sin steals, kills and destroys. Sin is in us. Sin is all around us.
The other thing is God, God in us and God in the world. God is real. God is awesome. God creates, redeems and gives life. God is in us. God is all around us.
I am becoming increasingly convinced that when we take part in a protest, start a company, fight with someone, climb a high mountain or get into relationships, we are actually in some shape or form trying our best to address and destroy sin, while at the same time searching for and reaching out to God.
A sad but necessary realisation I have come to though is that we will never be 100% free of sin in all it’s forms in this life, and we will never ‘find God’ and see Him with 100% clarity either.
What now?
The option I can see is a simple one. Firstly, we must and we must continue to address sin, in us and in the world. We must call it what it is, and attempt to destroy it. But, I have found that I am very limited in my ability to do this. Secondly, we must and we must continue to search for God, with all our hearts, minds and strength. He has the antidote for sin, in us and in the world. He has it because He is outside it. He has it because He became it. He has it because He destroyed the power of it.
This has helped give me some context, and helped frame my current state of being.
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