The God I Know

Interesting the classroom where God says

"Forget all you think you know about me"

That is some way knowledge might dawn"

                                                  Hafiz

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I often think I know a lot about God

 after all I have a degree in theology

actually two

are you impressed?

I have studied God up one side

and down the other

assuming God has sides of course

And I have formed my opinions

And it is amazing how I have shaped God

For yes, in my humanness I fear I have shaped God 

more than accepted God

as God is

What I wonder is why the God I think I know

appears to be so different from the God

others seem to "know"

I don't think my God 

would vote the way their God would vote

Or see a person on welfare the same way

or a young girl, frightened and pregnant

And yet, who is right?

The Bible says Jesus

God with us

God most concrete and visible

is the same

"yesterday, today and forever"

Frankly that doesn't help me much

As Jesus, in his ministry on earth 

was full of surprises.... 

and usually spent most of his time blowing apart

the image of God the people had so carefully constructed

So I will have to go with what little I know

that is clearly not much

I will have to go with the God

who comes to me

in the middle of the night

in the presence of death

when I am all alone

when I am afraid

And in those moments when I am emptied out

becomes known

as love