Sunday, April 29, 2018

The Myth of God & Math


by Edie Melson @EdieMelson

Math is not my strong suit.

I have to smile as I write these words. And I know my husband will be howling with laughter when he reads this. I’m so much NOT a numbers girl, I’m almost handicapped.

At least that’s what I'd thought. 

But I’ve recently discovered that my view of God is filtered through an algebraic mind-set. And when I first noticed the signs, I went into immediate denial. There was no way it could be true.

But the evidence is irrefutable.

Without realizing it, I’ve put God in a box, bracketing him inside equations. And I’m betting a lot of you may have as well.

Let me see if you’re familiar with these two logical—spiritual—equations I’m referring to:

Following the Rules + Making the Right Decisions = Living a Blessed Life

Sinning + Bad Decisions = Living a Troubled Life

On the surface these two equations look pretty good. But when I began to dig deeper, I realized that rather than finding God’s truth in the equations above, I’d become tangled in a lie.

I had traded the Truth of God for fairness and tried to call it justice.

God is so much more than fair. His love destroys such a simplistic concept and replaces it with grace. 

Along with that comes things I can’t understand—good people who suffer and bad people granted eternal life. At times this world looks like it rewards those who cheat and punishes the one that do the right thing.

But I've discovered I don't have to understand to trust Him.

You may wonder at where I find the evidence for hope. I find it all around me. I’ve seen it played out in my life and the lives of those around me. Beyond that I see examples of it on almost every page of the Bible. God proves over and over again that He gives us so much more than the condemnation that we deserve.

So how about you—have you fallen for some bad math?

“For as heaven is higher than earth, so My ways are higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:9 (HCSB)

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17 comments:

  1. You are so not alone Ms. Edie. My hope comes from the peace I've made with accepting that while there are many things I can't understand today, all will be revealed to me one day soon. I can live with learning it later. Here's a formula for you to think on. When you solve it, I'll send you a copy of my book (when it's published). F=W+P+O God's blessings ma'am...

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    1. Jim, that’s awesome! I look forward to you book, Blessings, E

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  2. Love the way you presented this! How true! Have a great day because our God is great!

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    1. Majorie, I hope your day is awesome too! Blessings, E

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  3. "God is so much more than fair. His love destroys such a simplistic concept and replaces it with grace." This touched my heart SO deeply. Thanks for sharing this today. So timely!

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    1. Betty, thanks for sharing your thoughts! Blessings, E

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  4. Excellent- I’ve discovered along the way what faith is all about...I don’t have to understand it all! Thank you Edie ...from a girl who loves math!

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  5. Math is not my favorite subject but I like your equations.
    Thanks for sharing this.

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    1. Ingmar, thank you for stopping by! Blessings, E

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  6. Beautiful relief! Thanks for this today. Hugs and love.

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  7. Yes! I so often have a formulaic view of God, I forget to see beyond my own idea of Him. Thank you for this reminder.

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    1. Molly Jo, I think easy to fall into the trap of defining God through what we already know and understand, thanks for sharing your thoughts! Blessings, E

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  8. I can identify with your opening equations! I was caught up in them for years. It's a blessing to read just how you've dug deeper for the truth. God is sovereign and everything falls into place in His ordered world if we but trust. Thank you for your insights and His wisdom. Blessings, Sheri

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