Too Much Baggage for the Journey - A Windup God

Greetings Dear Reader,

My Grandfather used to say, “You cannot sew wild oats six nights a week and then pray for crop failure on Sunday.”  One of the great lies we believe even if we believe is that we can compartmentalize our faith.  We do not have a windup God that we trot out for our pleasure on Sundays. 

We seem to constantly recreate God in our image.   Perhaps this is the greatest form of idolatry.  There are so many ways to say it but it comes down to treating God like a convenient buddy instead of the Creator and Sovereign.  It is not our place to treat him in this way.

There is so much of what we do that has nothing to do with following Christ.  The problem with that is that there is nothing that is not part of choosing to follow Christ.  There are no secular issues.  There is no moment that is not a moment where I must choose whether or not to follow Christ and his example.

When we load the Gospel with our own baggage we are making God our puppet, buddy, or less than he is.  We build a hedge of constructs and rules around the Gospel that makes it hard to see who Jesus really is. 

I know I participated in this for a time.  Part of my daily practice is to shed this.  If I truly believe that Jesus will draw all to himself then I do not need to judge, condemn, or reject anyone.  If I truly believe that Jesus is who is claims to be then I need to obey his command to love everyone.  Perhaps the narrow way is narrow because it does not have room for all our baggage.

I do believe all this.  Jesus is not the kind you have to wind up on Sunday.

 Wind Up – Jethro Tull

When I was young and they packed me off to school

and taught me how not to play the game,

I didn't mind if they groomed me for success,

or if they said that I was a fool.

So I left there in the morning

With their God tucked underneath my arm --

Their half-assed smiles and the book of rules.

So I asked this God a question

And by way of firm reply,

He said -- I'm not the kind you have to wind up on Sundays.

So to my old headmaster (and to anyone who cares):

Before I'm through I'd like to say my prayers --

I don't believe you:

You had the whole damn thing all wrong --

He's not the kind you have to wind up on Sundays.

Well you can excommunicate me on my way to Sunday school

And have all the bishops harmonize these lines --

How do you dare tell me that I'm my Father's son

When that was just an accident of Birth.

I'd rather look around me -- compose a better song

‘Cause that's the honest measure of my worth.

In your pomp and all your glory you're a poorer man than me,

As you lick the boots of death born out of fear.

When I was young and they packed me off to school

and taught me how not to play the game,

I didn't mind if they groomed me for success,

or if they said that I was a fool.

So I left there in the morning

With their God tucked underneath my arm --

Their half-assed smiles and the book of rules.

Well you can excommunicate me on my way to Sunday school

And have all the bishops harmonize these lines –

When I was young and they packed me off to school

and taught me how not to play the game,

I didn't mind if they groomed me for success,

or if they said that I was a fool.

So I left there in the morning

With their God tucked underneath my arm --

Their half-assed smiles and the book of rules.

So to my old headmaster (and to anyone who cares):

Before I'm through I'd like to say my prayers --

Well you can excommunicate me on my way to Sunday school

And have all the bishops harmonize these lines –

I don't believe you:

You had the whole damn thing all wrong --

He's not the kind you have to wind up on Sundays.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

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