Where Have I Been?

“Thoughts on Theology, Ministry, and the Arts.” I’m finding that’s a taller order than it seems! But I’m not giving up on it.

I haven’t written in a while because I haven’t known what to write. It seems like life has taken up a lot of my time and thoughts—but isn’t that what theology and ministry is about? Life? Where does Jesus meet us when life gets too hard—or too easy, or too full, or too empty, or too confusing, or too stressful, or too fast, or too slow? These are the times that test us (me) because that’s when I lose sight of Jesus. And when I lose sight of Jesus I don’t think theologically; I think selfishly, usually. According to dictionary.com, “theological” means “based upon the nature and will of God as revealed to humans.” I forget about how the nature of God and the will of God need to encompass and direct my life and I take over, trying to protect and defend what I think is essential.

So how does one think theologically? To me thinking theologically is about looking at life from God’s point of view. Where is God in this situation? What has he already started here? Where do I fit in with what he has already started? Obviously, one can only answer those questions specifically when there is a specific situation as a frame of reference. Thinking theologically means that I need to take myself out of the center and look at life—my life and life in general—with God at the center.

Doing that consistently is another part of our life-long relationship with Jesus. He keeps working in our hearts and minds as we keep welcoming him in.