Life's Journey: Part I

Excerpt from “Life’s Journey: A Retrospective Commentary” Copyright © 2010

PROLOGUE

Life is a journey. It may be long or short, simple or complex, confusing or satisfying. Regardless of what structure it takes, it has been given to us by our Creator and we have been charged with a specific role. Finding that role—and how we find it—is the essence of who we are.


CHURCH

Growing up with the Christian dogmas of a Baptist church I encountered many perplexing ideologies. To be a kid and try to figure adults out is challenging enough. Throw in the mix of “do what you’re told” (“but not as I do”…which is the part they most often leave out) gives rise to more than just simple life questions. It begins a whole structure of trust and accountability that often falls short of providing answers. Right and wrong are doled out under the guise of “religious correctness” rather than finding out what is in your heart.

A personal relationship with God will provide that conduit from brain to heart to soul without all the strangeness of religion and liturgy. Unfortunately, most people construct their comfort zones based on these rites and rituals rather than their own sensibilities of being a divine creation.

I’m grateful for all the spiritual exposure I was given growing up. Although it was never clear to me as to whether Christianity was a tool, a means to an end, or simply a lifestyle…it did lay a foundation for which I could eventually ask essential and more informed questions later in life.

As a teenager I saw some very incongruous representations of Christian life…at least from the perspective of what I was taught Christians ought to be. In retrospect—having lived a good fifty years—I realize all humans are flawed and fail. Christians are no different in the sense that they are affected by the world’s wily ways just as much as the next person. What “should” be evident, however, is their response to the world when life doles out all its goods.

It has taken me years—decades—to realize the true value of a personal relationship with God and how that relationship should take form. Church, at its very essence, is instrumental for the growth of all Christians. It provides a place for corporate worship, corporate prayer, healing…a safe place to simply get more centered with your personal and spiritual self.

That said, it can also be a crutch, a façade, a delusion of spirituality that allows one to think they are on a correct path…when in reality they are only fooling themselves. The church environment, whether ancient or present, tends to be more camaraderie than substance. Read any of Paul’s letters to the churches in Biblical times and you’ll see the same confusions and failures as you do today.

I don’t want to minimize the importance of being an involved church member…what I want to do is maximize the importance of the Creator-creation relationship without all the repertoire of rituals getting in the way.


Additional excerpts from “Life’s Journey: A Retrospective Commentary” © 2010 will be published in future postings.

Greg Morton
Copyright © September 2014