“Authors don’t always choose their books. Their path, and more often their pain, do the picking.”
from “Wounded by God’s People: Discovering How God’s Love Heals Our Hearts” by Anne Graham Lotz, Beth Moore
You may have noticed I changed the title of this site from whichgodsaves to godversusreligion.
There’s a reason for the change. I’m still working on something to explain why. In the mean time, I was “coincidentally” (led by God?) to read the book from which the above quote is extracted.
That quote, and the title of the book, begin to give some idea of why I changed the name.
People (me included) do and say things we think are coming from God. Directions from God straight to us. Sometimes we can know for sure that followers of God don’t all hear from Him – like when two sets of people who know for sure they “know God’s voice” are saying two very different things. Both insist they are right about whose voice they hear – and what that voice is saying. Neither will say the other is wrong. Both just insist they are “right”.
Whatever comes from this scenario – it won’t be good. Even if the “winner” feels vindicated. Even if the winner” is actually really truly “right” – they did have the correct message from God – it’s still not good. Because the way in which they delivered God’s message is so wrong!
Everyone loses.
For me – I left the church I was at, rather than fight.
Even in that, some (maybe even me) still lost. But fighting doesn’t seem right.
What may be even more important though is said later in the same book –
“The way you and I handle being rejected and wounded is critical. Our response can lead to healing … or to even more hurt. I fully understand if you have been so hurt by God’s people that you have made the choice to walk away—not just from the church, not just from Christians, not just from those who call themselves by God’s name, but from God. I could have too. Instead, God found me —and loved me —on the periphery. Why? Because God is not an elitist. He associates not only with those who appear to be part of an inner circle, but with those who have been made to feel they are on the outside.”
I hope that what I’m doing now is allowing God to find me (again). Maybe back in some church – maybe, as the author calls it, on the periphery. I really don’t know. But maybe it’s really not up to me to “know”, at least not right away. Maybe the journey between here and there is part of the rediscovery – me of God – and God of me.
It’s hopefully going to be a journey that ends well. One that ends with a verse I’m thinking of more and more these days –
Rev 7:17 For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd;
he will lead them to springs of living water.
And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.
I don’t know how God’s going to dry the tears. There’s just so many of them these days.
I don’t know when God’s going to end this journey. It’s seems like it’s been so long already.
The thing is – if I can stay close enough to Him during the journey – does anything else really matter?
If I’m there in Revelation 7:17 – does anything else really matter?
The answer to both questions – no, it doesn’t matter.
If you feel like this describes some part of you as well, you’re more than welcome to join us on the journey.
I haven’t finished the book yet – just starting it really. But here’s a link to the top quote and info on the book from Amazon:
Interesting note – As I’m writing this – right now – it’s been pouring rain all day.
The sun just came out for the first time today.