markdohle Posted April 23, 2013 #1 Share Posted April 23, 2013 (edited) Fear the teacher (written in 06) I sat with the old man, someone who I have been taking care of for awhile. He is in is his mid-nineties, and it has only been the last few years that he has had to slow down and let others take care of him. At this time he is having trouble breathing, and is on oxygen full time. When in bed he uses a concentrator, and when in his chair he has a tank on the back of his wheelchair. Even with all that he still has trouble breathing, and is in some discomfort much of the time, and I doubt he will be with us much longer. He is very gentle, and does whatever we ask of him, but I can see that it is not easy for him. We talked tonight about his relationship with God, and he told me that he did not always do his best in the past, and it worries him. So we talked about fear, his fear of God. It turned out that he knew that his fear was based on himself, his own struggle with his relationship with God, and it says nothing about God’s love; God’s eternal love for him. It pains me the way we can be taught to look upon God, how we can turn the revelation of God’s total loving into something to be feared and cringed before. Even when maturity allows one to move beyond it, the residual fear can still remain, and so the struggle with intimacy with God continues, the fear having to be dealt with over and over again. You can’t trust what is feared, since what is feared, is seen on some level as something unstable, something volatile, and for some, something to avoided. Fear can be helpful if faced, since choices then flow from that facing, that looking into the eye that which causes trembling and angst. Growth only comes from choices, so I guess even fear can work out for our good, if not believed or followed. Edited April 23, 2013 by markdohle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beany Posted April 23, 2013 #2 Share Posted April 23, 2013 I learned this concept of God from my mother. For her, he is all loving, forgiving & compassionate. He doesn't condemn people to hell, men & women are equal in his eyes and neither should be subservient to the other. He's not vengeful, he's here to help us, in short, he's no one to fear and doesn't have some of those human traits & qualities that can make us do terrible things to ourselves & others. If there is a God in the Christian sense, he is no one to be feared, but someone to run to for comfort. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markdohle Posted April 23, 2013 Author #3 Share Posted April 23, 2013 I learned this concept of God from my mother. For her, he is all loving, forgiving & compassionate. He doesn't condemn people to hell, men & women are equal in his eyes and neither should be subservient to the other. He's not vengeful, he's here to help us, in short, he's no one to fear and doesn't have some of those human traits & qualities that can make us do terrible things to ourselves & others. If there is a God in the Christian sense, he is no one to be feared, but someone to run to for comfort. Amen Sister! When we make God in our image, then trouble starts..... Peace mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beany Posted April 24, 2013 #4 Share Posted April 24, 2013 The first bible verse I learned was "For God so loved the world...." That includes us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougeaton Posted May 9, 2013 #5 Share Posted May 9, 2013 Fear the teacher (written in 06) I sat with the old man, someone who I have been taking care of for awhile. He is in is his mid-nineties, and it has only been the last few years that he has had to slow down and let others take care of him. At this time he is having trouble breathing, and is on oxygen full time. When in bed he uses a concentrator, and when in his chair he has a tank on the back of his wheelchair. Even with all that he still has trouble breathing, and is in some discomfort much of the time, and I doubt he will be with us much longer. He is very gentle, and does whatever we ask of him, but I can see that it is not easy for him. We talked tonight about his relationship with God, and he told me that he did not always do his best in the past, and it worries him. So we talked about fear, his fear of God. It turned out that he knew that his fear was based on himself, his own struggle with his relationship with God, and it says nothing about God’s love; God’s eternal love for him. It pains me the way we can be taught to look upon God, how we can turn the revelation of God’s total loving into something to be feared and cringed before. Even when maturity allows one to move beyond it, the residual fear can still remain, and so the struggle with intimacy with God continues, the fear having to be dealt with over and over again. You can’t trust what is feared, since what is feared, is seen on some level as something unstable, something volatile, and for some, something to avoided. Fear can be helpful if faced, since choices then flow from that facing, that looking into the eye that which causes trembling and angst. Growth only comes from choices, so I guess even fear can work out for our good, if not believed or followed. I agree, certain fears need to be listened to, or die early. doug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xYlvax Posted May 10, 2013 #6 Share Posted May 10, 2013 There is much to be gained by facing and thwarting one's fears.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amalthe Posted May 10, 2013 #7 Share Posted May 10, 2013 Problem that all loving God who forgives everything is not accordance with justice. If i am being wronged by evil person who doesn't want to repent, i want justice to be brought upon him. So although God loves me and that evildoer also, if that person does not correct himself and accepts his guilt, he deserves God punishment. You should talk to that old man, and ask him does he really feel sorry for the things he's done. If yes, assure im that God sees hearts and forgives those who repent and gives them peace. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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