Friends, I promised a review of the podcast, but this is more of a recap. Blessings, Bob

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Spirituality Column #866

June 20, 2023

Common Christianity / Uncommon Commentary

Bread Upon the Waters, Part 3

By Bob Walters

“I hope somebody hears it and it makes them think.” – yours truly on “Finding Genius.”

Thus was one of my final thoughts when that podcast guest slot wrapped up a couple weeks ago. “Genius” jokes aside, I love to talk and it was a fun hour.

The entire interview can be heard HERE at the “Finding Genius Podcast with Richard Jacobs.”  It goes 51 minutes, including an opening minute of advertising. 

Well … I promised a review, and here it is: In general, I’d say your old scribe didn’t do too bad.  We covered a lot of territory – much of it familiar to Common Christianity regulars – and Richard Jacobs was an engaging, gracious host. Here is a broad brush, approximate, abridged, and ever-so-slightly aggrandized recap …

Were you always religious? No. I was an Episcopal altar boy (acolyte) as a young teen, then away from church and faith until I was 47.  That’s when my older son Eric, 13, asked why we didn’t go to church. So, we went.

What changed? That first adult day in church, for whatever reason, I suddenly “got it.” Say it was the Spirit and my heart.  Then a variety of people showed up in my life: Russ Blowers, Dave Faust, George Bebawi.  In no time the Bible came alive, and when I had questions, I had lions of the faith I could go to for counsel and answers.

Is faith a common experience? Everyone experiences their faith, i.e., their relationship with Jesus, differently.  Maybe just a bit differently, but the relationship is unique.  It’s important we don’t insist on “one and only one final answer,” except Jesus.  It is OK to disagree in peace.  I’ll take joy over guilt, and love over religious legalisms. Another person may focus on the Ten Commandments, obedience, and prophecy. 

There are many paradoxes in Christianity.  What we may see as a paradox – say, joy in Jesus vs. fear of God in one’s faith – is always something we either don’t understand or don’t expect. Faith is trusting it to be in line with God’s righteousness, truth, goodness, and plan for humanity. We ask God for wisdom, not His agreement. 

George Bebawi was very influential to you. What were his teachings? (See last week’s column #865, but also …) George made Christian history come alive for me.  I realized the importance of questioning modern faith fashions and to seek lasting truth.

What mystery did George leave you with? More than anything, it is the impossibility of the answer to the question, “Why me?” There are people I love and people who are way kinder, smarter, and more successful than me who do not believe.  Why am I afforded this trust in Jesus, gift of the Spirit, and place in God’s Kingdom?  I share it as best I can, but I also know you can’t argue faith into someone’s soul.

People see a paradox or a mystery and want answers, don’t you think? It is very human to want answers, but love and trust are the keys to the kingdom.  I have a friend who recently came to Jesus in order to go to heaven.  That’s good, but he’s still thinking about “what he gets,” like a reward, not about what he can give, like love and faith.

Why does God need more glory?  He doesn’t have an ego, does he?  We must not think of glory as something we add to God; glory is what God is.  George taught me that our purpose in life is to participate in God’s glory with faith in Jesus.

There’s more, but I hope the interview made people think.  It sure made me think.

Walters (rlwcom@aol.com) freely shares this weekly column … just ask.