Reflections on Christian Practice

I don't have much to make into a substantial blog entry, so I am combining some of the recent reflections I have made during the recent Sunday services I am in attendance at.  These practices are, I think, common to most American Christian churches.

When God Says No:  I wonder why we have to make up reasons to explain why God does not answer our prayers.  Recently in church and on the Christian radio I have heard person after person explain the reasons why God may not be answering our prayers, but they all seem lame to me.  It's time to recognize that life is hard, the effects of the curse are still very visible and present among us, and the Kingdom of God has not yet come in power.  The idea that our unanswered prayers are in the "Not now" tickle folder maintained in heaven just waiting for the time that they can be addressed seems absurd.  I have asked many things over my years of spiritual journey, only a very small amount have really been answered.  It does not take anything away from God to admit this, I still ask.  The success rate when you don't ask is pretty self explanatory.

The Wonderful Plan:  How often have you heard that God has a wonderful plan for your life?  I hear it at least once a day on the Christian radio in various forms.  But what I keep wondering is if God has this wonderful plan for my life, if He gives me all these gifts and talents to make that wonderful plan happen, why does it seem that He fails to give opportunity for the plan to come to pass.  It especially seems that people that are successful in ministry always say this, but I wonder if they would continue to run the party line if they were just a common Joe without all the glitz and position the ministry gives.

Voice Inflection:  I recently noticed that we raise our voices, inflect our words differently when we pray.  Do we think that this adds power or conviction to our prayers?  I remember the story about God speaking, not in a hurricane or fire or earthquake, but in a still small voice, and I think that if the still, small voice was good enough for God to be heard, it should be good enough for us.

I would give anything if we could just strip away all of the accumulated Christian baggage we have picked up along the centuries and just get back to what is essential in our relationship with God.  I have said this many times but it continues to remain true.  I don't know what the real church should look like, but I can easily spot what it should not look like.  If I ever find it, I will let you know.