A God by any other name...

I used to sing a song in Church called, He that is in us. The first line is He that is in us is greater than he that is in the world. I woke up singing it this morning and as usual I questioned whether I believe the words I was singing.
The idea is that God is stronger than any force of evil that can be found in the world is something that I do believe to be true. But as usual I also had a problem with the gender language, not just about God, who I believe is beyond gender but also in gendering the concept of evil male too. The problem was that simply to change one, other or both to read 'She' just creates the opposite problem and there was no way to change the lyrics to my satisfaction that could also scan with the music.
So I just began to try and think what I actually meant by what I was singing. What I mean by these words is, God is ultimately stronger than anything that the world can throw at us. In other words, it will be OK.
Now I must point out the difference between this sentiment and some other, well meaning and at heart lovely thoughts that I have seen used and indeed used myself for people in a time of grief, trauma or crisis.

For example: If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.
Or: God never gives you more than you can handle.

Both are intended to be positive statements which are designed to empower the person to keep going and there is nothing wrong with either. But they are loaded and potentially damaging too. Take the case of April Jones, the young Welsh 5 year old who went missing some time ago, or the shootings at a primary school in America. I am positive, that like many who have faced such levels of loss and grief they have felt that it is indeed more than they can handle. Even the slightest suggestion that these things happened to them  because either God willed them to or because they have somehow seemed stronger than other people is nothing less than damaging. They may well eventually be able to handle it, or come through it. But what if they don't?
What if the illness takes their life? What if the grief consumes them to the point of complete breakdown or suicide? Does that mean there is not God or that God is so vengeful that She would not see them through?

NO is the simple answer. At least not the God that I am serving. But the simple idea that you will be OK  maybe not now and something may even take everything you have, even your life is a powerful one. Because ultimately, the God that lives in us is greater than anything the world can throw at us,  and whatever happens, you will be OK. Not wonderful or perfect but OK. That was one of the most powerful truths that anyone ever said to me and I have held onto it through so many things.
If you are going through what feels like Hell, if things are difficult now then having a faith simply means that you never go through it alone. And by that I am not just talking about God, because to me having faith means being called into community, out of isolation and into the world. It challenges you to reach out to other people, not just people of faith, but I have found no end of comfort in having that faith community around me too, but also to others in general. To try to live differently, to do better every day.
The thing that for me challenge me to do this I call God, the feeling that God causes for me that pushes me on I call faith. These are the words and phrases chosen by the home, culture and environment in which I was raised. They are words I am comfortable with which ultimately express my journey with something bigger than myself. But what is most important about these words and the concepts that they bring is simply that they drive me towards something...a connectedness that is able to transcend what for others may seem like boundaries. A connectedness that does not see division or isolation even when I am on my own, it is this that stands a chance of bringing people through the most difficult things in their lives. And my faith tells me that even when the physical body ends, that the connection does not stop. We are still part of something far greater than ourselves. And ultimately...we will be OK!!

You will find what you are looking for...

The fairly well known Christian song called Seek Ye first the Kingdom of God is a beautiful round and mainly aimed at young people. It tells of a belief within our faith which is that all that we seek will be answered. It is a song of comfort and of an assurance in Jesus Christ. It is popularly based on a piece art of the Christ outside a closed door, the door has no handle on it because Jesus will never force his way in.

But a video that was posted on Facebook today from 3 ministers who engaged in Interfaith dialogue and they reminded me of something. Seek and Ye shall find is a fundamental truth.
If you go looking for something you will probably find it. The thing they said which made me think about this was that when each man went to the texts of his faith, the Torah, The Bible and the Koran seeking validation for the Exclusivity of their Faith, they found it! Shortly afterwards they went seeking inclusivity and again they found it.
This is not just about books or faith, but it says something about life too. You will find what you go looking for in life. If you look for love, really live it and open to it, you will find it. If you go out seeking validation for your anger, you will find someone to blame.
You can move forward looking for the next terrible thing that will add to the first one, and it will come. But similarly, open yourself up to all that is good and amazing and miraculous and those too can be found.
That will never mean that things will be good or easy or even the way you want, but it does mean that you are more likely to come out the other side just fine.

Take a moment to think about that. The power is ultimately in our hands.