Still Ruminating Post Easter...Chewing My Cud...Beliefs Long Thought Digested.

This morning seems a tipping point in my spirit. Now reading through the Psalms while contemplating current events, with Pakistan's attempt at negotiations now unfruitful, and apocalypse possibly pending!

Wondering how we as a once Bible believing nation have willfully stepped into such conflict, clearly driven by three quite hardened and different religious cultures, with hazards both economic and nuclear now looming.

Wouldn't it be just like God to step into this moment, with truly transformational outcomes, not unlike the unexpected birth of a baby in a manger two millennia ago!

Yet, perhaps much different than I had been taught!

Let me explain.

My childhood days were engrained upon by an escapism approach to scripture, each day was about being ready should the Lord return. This was in reference to the concept of a great "catching away", the timing "biblically" framed upon Isreal becoming a nation.

If in fact 1948 was that date, the interpretation among those with whom I was raised, then this "generation would not pass away before the Son of Man, Jesus returned.

I'm in my 78th year! I think you see the reason for my concern, as things are surely heating up in a way that could soon push us into the next firmly held belief, the Great Tribulation, a time said to be one of great suffering for those "left behind."

Yet, during these 78 years, I have come to know that Son, the Christ as One who has loved me through all the shenanigans of my life and the leaders with whom I have a very served. Trust me, as I have been behind the scenes and those most trusted are not flawless. We are all human regardless of calling or even "powerful anointing."

The good ones know that!

Back to the current moment, as three monotheistic religions now seem bent on a battle to the death, though all profess religious empowerment, their dependency built more upon weapons of destruction, than love for their fellow man.

Psalm 18:50 sits right before my eyes:

"He gives his king great victories; he shows unfailing love to his anointed, to David and to his descendants forever."

To many, that's a license for war!

Yet, then the following verses in Psalm 19:12-14 read:

"But who can discern their own errors? Forgive my hidden faults. Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then I will be blameless, innocent of great transgression. May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer."

What will shock many is that I struggle with accepting every word of the Biblical text as representative of God's heart. The trajectory that brought us from Eden to Calvary seems sufficient evidence of the text's inspiration, yet many stories likely filtered by each religion, so as to fit the needs of wartime leadership over the centuries.

The text too often filtered through our own self thoughts, with those then transferred to God, again an attempt at imaging "Him" according to our needs.

For me, all that boils down to the Bible being more about us than God! That then explains to me why when the Christ, who I believe was God in the flesh of Mary's son showed up, we didn't recognize Him.

We were after a King, a warrior, not One who preferred an identity with Love!

Then, so convinced of our notion of God, we killed Jesus, and ever since have killed those who cared enough to challenge our particular religious persuasion be that Judaism, Islam or American Christianity.

That hatred has now brought the three together, and in a near apocalyptic moment!

To those banking on a rapture, well it best happen soon or we may be facing a long predicted tribulation like none have ever experienced.

For those trusting in One "not willing that any should perish" an unexpected outcome that could set up a New Heaven and a New Earth!

The latter would truly be apocalyptic, if one fully grasp the true meaning of the word.

Hoping I have the spiritual stomach to continue to chew on all this.