Mythic God

From Dictionary.com--
Myth –noun
1. a traditional or legendary story, usually concerning some being or hero or event, with or without a determinable basis of fact or a natural explanation, esp. one that is concerned with deities or demigods and explains some practice, rite, or phenomenon of nature.

Truth be told, I used to think of myths just like everyone else- untrue stories with profoundly extraordinary events. Then, one day, an educated person dropped the above definition of myth on me. And I realized something.

God is Mythic.

State God is a myth in most churches and it's "Expell the Heretic!" night. But the truth is, according to this definition, He is. Fact is, as much as we would like to say He is fact- there is no way to determine He is fact. At least not by scientific means. Even by psychological means we can't prove God because our exeriences- though fact to us- are tainted by our perceptions in the eyes of others. What I see as proof of God's provision, you might see as good (and lucky) timing by supportive friends and family. So believers turn to theology- man's attempt to understand God, aka religion's attempt at science. Theology lets us down as well, because it is based on writings of other people's experience. We can claim all day that "scripture is inerrant and the inspired word of God" but to people who don't share our faith, they are just words. God is impossible to prove.

But that doesn't mean He isn't VERY real.

Years ago, when humans where unclear of why things happened, they turned to a spiritual answer. They turned to people who claimed to have spoken to God, seen visions, and experienced miracles. They took the reports of these people, and trusted them. Their stories of a God of Epic Proportions were about extraordinary events, events that they embraced with arms of belief. Today we call those people naive at best, more often, they are called foolish for believing such myths.

I say they put us to shame.

They believed stories of a God who parted the sea. They believed stories of a God who would send down columns of fire. They beleived in stories of a God who would defeat armies with torches and clay pots. They believed in a God who raised the dead, healed the sick, and gave sight to the blind. They may have been 'naive,' but they beleived in a God who was amazing and extraordinary.

It often seems we believe in a God who works for those that try to help themselves. We claim miracles of healing through medicine ( and I do believe medicine is a miracle from God), but we- read, I- often feel like we're claiming that as a miracle because we don't really beleive God still does the other stuff. We believe in God, but He is a rather sedate God, He's quiet and leaves us alone, for the most part. When bad things happen, we turn to this 'security blanket' God and trust He will make it all right. Then we wait for things to blow over. We don't beleive in a Mythic God.

Those stories about God parting the Red Sea, bringing fire on Mt. Carmel, and yes, even the death and resurrection of Christ are all myths. In many ways we can't prove them, but we believe they happened. It is time to stop just believing that they happened, and start living like they still can happen.

Our God is a Mythic God. My prayer and my hope is that we will begin to expect Him to once again do Mythic things. The kind of things that turn cultures, nations, and individuals on their head.

Our God is moving. Let us join Him.