THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME. BUT IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME, TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE PRECEPTS OF MEN. Neglecting the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men. (Mark 7:6-8 NAS95)
Early in my overseas work this passage hovered in my awareness. God wanted me to ponder both what He says and what my theological culture said.
Crossing the ocean awakened me to my theological prejudices/preferences considering how my host culture saw doctrine. I had heart attachments to these preferences, even a lot of security in the theological systems that drew me into the Kingdom of God. I didn’t realize the degree to which these flowed from man’s thinking about God rather than from how God thinks about man.
Theological structures contribute much to our relationship with God, but when they become god themselves, that can cause issues and confusion. In my own way, I robbed God’s freedom by making Him fit my system, and when He didn’t, well, that scared me. It challenged my security, and even my thoughts about salvation.
God, of course, knew this. The reason the passage above hovered in my awareness concerned God’s desire to revolutionize my interaction with Him, and to learn His love.
I had relied on theological structures, those systems, as Bible. Yet, God whispered, “I’m not the box you’ve put Me in.” “I don’t conform to your ways, but I do want to show you mine. I want to lead you.” God was saying, “systematic theology does not define Me; that is not My Word.”
As I listened and reflected, God led me to see the Scriptures as a deep understanding of reality as it truly is, and as it concerns God’s love and interaction with His creation. Systematics help, but they don’t replace the Scripture, nor do they contain the depth of reality God’s story reveals.
My pondering with God continued to work on my soul and open the way to freedom and to direct experience of His love. My fears kept me in systems I preferred, but away from God’s direct involvement. I could do life without God and continue to talk about God. Yet God’s pursuit moved me from my preferred traditions and systems and turned me to the reality of which the Scriptures speak: Immanuel, God with us. Interactive relationship.
God continues to bring this theme to mind, and I still love theology, but I know now God far transcends any thought I have about Him, including my systematics. How? From the conversation the Scriptures indicate I can have with Him.
For Reflection:
“Has the LORD as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the LORD?” (1 Samuel 15:22 NAS95)
- What stories from your life have revealed to you a devotion to tradition or theology over God?
- What ways does God initiate topics of conversation about how you perceive Him and His desire to shift your understanding to who He truly is?
