all the western winds.

lately i’ve had one word constantly swimming through my thoughts: tension.

it seems to me that there is an inescapable dialectic in our existence. those two sides to every coin that make the truth seem perpetually elusive. a conversation that, in many cases, we continually have with ourselves concerning the nature of our existence, the nature of God, the universe, reality, etc. this dialogue is an invaluable aspect of our journey, usually serving as the reflection and re-evaluation of who we are, why we are here and how we’re going to live. always concerned with the next step. moving inches along on the path.

this critical conversation is one that many people choose to put off until they are back-against-the-wall and forced to face the issue at hand. it seems that, lately, my problem is that i am constantly engaging myself in this conversation and the resulting implications for lifestyle change are now long overdue. i cannot say with any extensive logic why i feel compelled to take certain actions other than my subjective interpretation and understanding of the truth found within the teachings of Jesus. for me they are undeniable. there are certain dogmas which we form concerning our style of interpretation when it comes to the Truth of God’s Word, as well as reality and the world around us. these dogmas, now illuminating the truth of karl barth’s choice of title for his work, kirche dogmatiks, are the individual pillars of faith that we build for ourselves. the catch is that we must constantly be in debate with ourselves as to whether these dogmas we erect mirror the teachings of Jesus. unfortunately, we busy ourselves with the figure of Jesus and tend to ignore His teachings.

for me, the truth of God’s character is His Love. and ultimately i think our conceptions of God are so small that they restrict life rather than allow and appreciate freedom. this is my main frustration with religion, the shrinking of God, the view of Him limited to the keyhole we fabricate in order to establish a system and an organisation for His worship. the truth is, I do not have the answer, I can only speak of the hope that lies within me, the hope that, in the end, it is God’s Love which triumphs over all else. over religion. over politics. over theology. over philosophy. over humanity and our silly lustful obsession with certainty.

wherever the winds blow, may God lead You in the direction He would have for you, rather than the direction You think you must head in.