Step 2: We came to believe that a power greater than outselves could restore use to sanity.

February 9

Scripture reading for today: Review Exodus, highlight key passages, try to get the flow of thought in your head. I like to skim the notes in my bible, read the introduction to the book, whatever it takes to help me remember what I’ve just read…

One of the things that helps me “come to believe” is continuing to address the question: who is this “power greater than ourselves” ? (For further study, consider obtaining our “Finding Our Way Back To God” four part series. Look for “Insight”, our quarterly journals on the web to access this series.) For a few years I studied scripture through the squinty eyes of barely believing. Predisposed to be a person of small faith, I found myself with no confidence in the theory that we had all managed to crawl out of the goo of primordial soup and morph into something better than the tadpoles we supposedly sprang from. It took much less faith to believe that a great Powerful, other-worldly force had chosen to create us and our world. Armed with such small faith, I read scripture with a critical eye. I was always looking for loopholes that would confirm my suspicions that any God with that much power certainly wouldn’t care to be known by me. Why would he reveal himself to me? Oh sure, I believe He existed – I simply didn’t believe He wanted to be known by messy mortals.

What I discovered what that I was….gulp….wrong.

Make this tabernacle and all its furnishings exactly like the pattern I will show you. Exodus 25:9 NIV

They serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle: “See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.” Hebrews 8:5 NIV

Wow! Imagine that – a God who brings heaven to earth. This is fantastic news! This is a God who comes to us, not requiring massive efforts of self-help in a vain attempt to become “good enough” to be called His kid. We’re not a people who have to pine away on planet earth until the day we get sucked up to heaven – no way. That’s not how it works.

So this “power greater than ourselves” is interested in relationship with us. One thing we can know about God is this: He is interested in relationship with us.

Thought for today:

“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.” Revelation 3:20 NIV

Thought for tomorrow:

I realize that many of us have lost faith that there is a man or god who really cares about us. Guess what? If we believe that – then we are wrong. Step one prodded and poked at us, suggesting that our way of looking at the world is…”not quite right.” No one wants to admit such a thing, but if the shoe fits – wear it. If your way of believing has led to anything less than an abundant life (see John 10:10) then perhaps today is a good day to re-evaluate your way of believing.

February 9
Teresa McBean

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