Summer 34-God, On Lease, Human Fragility

We often ask why. We want to know, need to know why. What was the purpose, what was the reason, why? The answers are sometimes obvious, sometimes they are cryptic, maybe most times there are no definitive answers, but if you release the question of why, it will all unfold before your eyes. From why, to trust, and oh, that’s why being the answer.

It is cliche to think that most marriages are for the sole purpose of procreating and bearing offspring, but the Bible mentions this to us, and sometimes this is the reason why. Our children are gifts from God, we are not meant to think they belong to us, but that they are on lease to us and that we have a responsibility with them, to them, to God through them. Are we living up to our agreement with him? Or are we squatters taking up space in a place that isn’t ours?

If you, as an adult, look beyond your parentage, and assume that God is your one true parent, how does this change things for you, or your perception of not only yourself, but the lives of those around you too? Play the game. Pretend that God is your one true parent, and the people that raised you were tenants responsible for you until you were grown. Do you see them differently? Do you view them the same? Can you even imagine this scenario? Don’t overthink, and create parameters or weird dynamics, but think from a child/parent perspective, and then think of God as everyone’s parent. Are we living our lives based on our parent, or the people responsible for raising us? And are those two congruent or at minimum, are they similar? How are they different? How might things have been different if God were your only parent?

I have thought of vast philosophical view points over my years, and I often ask myself tough questions. Questions that make me think, questions that make me more accountable. Not because I like to punish myself, but because I like to be more congruent with my beliefs, and my foundational thoughts. I am accountable.

It is within my foundation that I find God, and myself. It is staying true to my foundation that I am guided in my choices and actions. I find comfort and joy in my personal accountability and responsibility, not because God is a harsh or punishing parent, but because he is a loving, compassionate, empathetic one, and I want to emulate and become that. When all we know is harsh, negative, punishment, guilt, shame, or blame, that is not God derived, it isn’t foundational with my God, and it definitely isn’t congruent with him either. In my life, that is completely out of alignment with the God I know.

But then again, my God loves all people. Wants best for all people. He understands that we often are the reason for our own suffering, and when things are bad, he grieves with us in our hardships, sending people to love and comfort us, to walk beside us in the times of bad. He is always with us, too, never leaving us behind…but he does provide room for our decisions and actions to play a large part of our lives, our downfall or our rise.

I know that not all people that believe in God believe the same way as me, and that is okay. I know that not all people believe in one God, and that is okay. I know not all people believe in one, let alone any God, and that is okay. But I will ask you, what do you believe fragile human? And are your parents here to help you with that?