Wayward Story

It's no secret that I love the TV show Lost. Yes, I even loved the finale, with it's lack of answers and controversial (but I thought totally clear and beautiful) final scene. I loved it for the characters. Yeah, the secrets and numbers and Others kept things interesting from time to time, but it was really- for me- about Jack, Kate, Sawyer, Locke, Ben, Hurley and the rest.

The way I came to love these fictional, messed up people is a big reason why I loved Lost as a character show. You meet them in the middle of their lives, no explanation, no back story save the story they are telling at the moment. Some stories were true, others- total fabrications. (I'm looking at you, Ben Linus.) Either way, some you loved instantly, some you hated, others scared you. But, through the non-linear storytelling of Flashbacks and Flashforwards, we learned more than the characters would ever feel like letting on. Through these stories, these true stories, we came to love a snarky con-man, to question the sanity of the most lovable teddy bear of a man, and to see the broken shell that birthed the (at least initially) Man of the Island.

I liked Lost for its wayward characters who weren't always what they seemed; sometimes better, often worse.

I liked it because it is very much like real life.

Without the smoke monsters and living islands.

When we meet, the only story I know is what you tell me. I have to take your word. But the more I get to know you, the more you share about where you've come from- and where you are going- the more I see the real you. Because our stories- our lives- are not linear.

Sure, we don't time travel or jump a couple decades in experiences, but the things that happened to us absolutely shape us today. For example, when I was in college, a ministry I was involved in had a brainstorming session about how to meet the evolving needs of college students. Two groups emerged, "keep it the same" and "radically change it." I was in the "radically change it" camp, and voiced my opinion for very non-traditional approaches. Try new things, reach out to people in new and fresh ways, make evangelism more relational and less event oriented. Focus on what the organization did best instead of trying to be everything at once.

I did not win out.

But five years or so later, I find myself again speaking these things to a traditional church. Again, it was going no where, when God, using my memory of the last time that happened, began to shape a thought, a vision, for what would become the church I know pastor.

That's one example of many. In fact, I'm even working on self-publishing a memoir type book called The Wayward that spells this out in more detail. It should be up for download by the end of the year or early next. Essentially, it points out that are stories, our lives, follow no clear pattern. Things we thought were said and done resurface and change us, shape us, and motivate now. Not only that, our future shapes us as well. Disagree? How many of you have retirement and financial plans for the future that affect the way you spend today? How many of you have life and career goals that direct your daily actions now? How many of you are dating to find "The One?"

Truth is, we are all writing a wayward story. We may be like Paul- an enemy of Christ who does a 180 and becomes a devoted follower. He didn't see that coming, but he used his past experience with the Law to become the great theologian of the New Testament. You could get whiplash trying to keep up with the twists and turns of David's life.

But that's our viewpoint. Like on Lost, we only got the information the producers felt necessary at that moment. What may seem all over the map to we the viewers (supposedly) was all part of the plan of the producers. While the validity of that claim is sketchy, the same claim could be made by God and be totally true. We may get tangled up in the plot threads of our lives, but God is still sticking with the master plan.

Why God?

Warning: How you read the title of this post says a lot about where you might be spiritually.

If you read it with an implied comma between the two words, you are questioning something that is happening to you. If you read it without an implied comma, you are questioning God- His existence/character/relevance/etc. Both readings are really about the same thing:

Belief.

America, by and large, believes in God. In general, it is the Judeo-Christian God, if the numerous studies from groups like the Barna Institute are to be accepted. Most of these studies have somewhere in the neighborhood of 85% of Americans calling themselves Christians. It is almost as though we just accept that God is real because it is a part of our cultural identity. We are American therefore we are Christian, therefore we believe in God. If asked why we believe in God, we give an answer that belies this belief- "I was raised to believe in God."

This is not a response that is invalid- but it is a response that lacks maturity of belief. I would argue that most of these people who say they believe in God believe it in much the same way they were raised to believe in Santa Claus. The only difference is that at some point it becomes culturally unacceptable to believe in Santa. If there were more social repurcussions for believing in God, I bet fewer people would claim Him.

Why?

I believe it is because we fail to ask "Why(,) God?" I would bet that many of the 15% who do not call themselves Christian have asked this question, and thier answer was one in which God was not needed- or at least the Judeo-Christian God was not needed. Maybe we fear asking "Why God?" because we fear the answer is that God is like Santa Claus, and we remember the pain of that truth coming home to our heart. To learn that God is not real would be too much for us, and rather than ask hard questions, we choose to remain blissfully ignorant. Or maybe we never question "Why God?" because we are supposed to have faith and trust God. Even Jesus said, "Don't put God to the test." (Luke 4:12)

My answer to this: God can take it.

I believe God is real- He is no Santa Claus. And I believe we need to test our faith, we must determine if WE believe God is real. Faith is not always about blind submission (though there are times when we need to just take a leap of faith). We need not test God like Satan was tempting Jesus to do- "God, if you're real, do something for my benefit and my glory." But we do need to test our belief.

We do this by experience. We seek answers- from friends, family, science, religion, scripture- most importantly we need to seek answers from what we encounter. I believe God is real because of what I see of Him in nature and in the lives of those around me. I believe in God because of what I have read about Him. I believe in God because of those times when I have experienced something that has no other explanation but God.

I believe in God because of the answers I've gotten when I asked, "Why, God?"

When my father died, I asked "Why,God?" and was answered with His comfort. When the ministry has seemed fruitless, I've asked "Why, God?" and been answered with a lesson in patience. When attacked, I've asked "Why, God?" and been answered with deliverance by various means. When good has come, I've asked "Why, God?" and been answered with peace.

I've asked "Why God?" and I've asked "Why, God?" I haven't always liked the answer, or the timing of the answer, but each one has served to deepen and mature my belief. I have feared asking the question, but to be honest with myself and with God, I must ask it. We all must ask it.

So when you ask me, "Why God?" I will respond that I choose to believe in God because I have experienced Him. I have encountered Him. And following those answers in my life there has come validation from others, from Scripture, and from doctrine.

But first and foremost, I believe in God because He has believed in me enough to reveal Himself.

And He believes in you.