Growing up around the church one of the goals of in living the Christian life is to get closer to God. Sometimes there are phrases that people just kind of say because that is the expected thing to say in religious circles. I said it in a conversation with my 7 year old son yesterday, and he responded in a "unchurch" like manner, he said "how can you get closer to God he is everywhere." I was forced into a situation where I had to explain a "Christianese" phrase. What does that mean: getting closer to God? I fumbled around a little bit; its easy to throw out religious words or phrases a little harder when a 7 year old is hanging on your every word waiting for a definition he can understand. My basic conclusion is that the more time we spend getting to know God, the more our lives start to reflect who he truly is." This then took a different direction when he started asking how Jesus shrunk himself to fit in our heart. So I also tried to explain that its a spiritual thing that he is not actually little mini Jesus camping out in our left ventricle, but that our heart was a symbol of our life, its what makes us live. So in this new series of getting to know God better through his revealing himself to us through his names, I want to be extra careful not throw out "churchy" phrases, but rather unpack the amazing revelation God has given us about who he is, and that this amazing all-powerful being seeks to be a intricate part of my boring everyday life.
Thank God for 7 year olds, I think I am going to have him proof my messages so I don't confuse people with some of the age old trite saying I have accumulated in my years in the church.
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