Free Will and Communion With God

I was disucussing the idea of free will with a few of my freinds the other morning. We were lamenting all the evil in the world, but we accepted this theologically and philosophically on the grounds of God creating humans as self determined beings. As I began to meditate on the impact of free will and moral evil, I realized another sad yet incredible dimension to free will as a Christian and my time communing with God in prayer. It struck me that God would not force me to seek him or get to know him. I am free to pray, and I am free not to pray. I am free to seek him and know him through his word, and I am free to pass. It hit me like a ton of bricks! I could be with God whenever I please. He is always pleased. How much more could I know him? How closer to his character would I be except for wasted time? How much more would I now love him if I would give him the time? I know down inside I have not properly internalized the truth of God's nearness and desire to be with me. This is changing. I do not know how much time I have left on this earth, but I am spending it with Christ. How about you my fellow Christians? The Almighty is calling; he would like your hearts, minds, and time. Lets give it to him. Meditate on his nearness and ask him for wisdom, and his spirit. In the book of Revelation, Christ chides the ephesians for leaving their first love. There is a positive side to this rebuke; the geatest of all loves desires our return of his affection. "Behold I stand at the door and knock, if anyone heres my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will dine with him, and he with me." Maybe we don't pray because we dont believe God is truly near. Maybe we think praying is like chanting and we hope something happens. Are we praying for something rather than getting to know God. Our minds need to be full of God's word, so when it's time to be with Christ we know how to direct our thoughts and expectations. He is near. Closer to you than you might even desire. If we received a call from our favorite movie star, rock star, or a long lost friend, we would do whatever we had to to spend the invited time with them, but God is always calling, always inviting. Can you imagine how much we have missed not getting to know him? How much life, joy, and liberty have we, of our own "free will" given up for much lesser things. Think of the joy you have experienced with the people you love most. Think if everyone you loved was suddenly gone, how miserable you would be. How much have you benefited from their words and their time. How much poorer would your life be without all of the good relationships in your life, even if there is only one. Would we intentionally deprive ourselved of the love of those we so desperately need, but haven't we done this with Christ. Let us with joy and child like faith run after our heavenly Father, and become transformed abiding in his presence. We are so rich with the presence of God, but so hard in our hearts to recognize it. We must let go of our spiritual poverty and seek to abide in the loving presence of our God and Savior.

The divinity of Jesus

This is a rather lengthy treatment of the Diety of Christ and the early Christian Church, but please take the time to read it. It is a very interesting treatment of this fundamental Christian doctrine. Click on the title above. This is a direct link to the series of articles on Mark Robert's blog. Mark Roberts is the Pastor of Irvine Presbyterian Church in Irvine, California (a city in Orange County about forty miles south of Los Angeles).