The Work of God.

Today's Reading: 2 Chronicles 19-21, Psalm 102

What do we mean when we say "God did this" or "God did that?" I think there might be a few differing perspectives when answering that question. Rather than debate about what is wrong or right, I will tell you what I believe.

When I sat down for chaplaincy at Children's Hospital in Columbus, I noticed a book on the Chaplain's Office which had a bunch of 3d images from the Bible (you know the ones where you have to squint your eyes or blur your focus to see the 3d picture). And I was browsing through and smiling when I came to the image of the 10th plague. There was an angel flying over a house with a sword in hand, and a baby in two pieces on the ground (this posted image was probably the closest I could find to recreate the idea). For some people, this is absolute truth and you should have to deal with it. Not for me.

When I say "God did this," I mean it in the cosmic sense of the phrase, that is, when someone is healed by the work of a doctor and I say "God did this" I mean that God crafted and catered the skills and gifts of the people responsible for helping make this doctor become a deliverer of healing for us now. I actually mean more than this, but a blog post is insufficient for starting with "In the beginning." When the author of 2 Chronicles tells us that God sent an ambush, I do not imagine a huge figure with a robe stomping down upon people, I imagine a military crafted with gifts to lift those who were in great danger of being overrun into survival.

Try and place yourself into that loooooooooooooooong story of Jesus and his love today.