A Personal Reflection on Truth in God’s Garden
Note: This post is more reflective than research, but I hope it may inspire some thought, reflection, growth and/or discussion.
On my walk this morning, I was thinking about how truth (absolute truth) is not dictated by how you choose to see reality (i.e. relative truth). Specifically, I was thinking about the efforts in the West to remove God from being true because He is superior to us and does not serve us in our current immediate desires; He is a being and force we can neither measure nor control. Essentially, it has often become a case of those with less power and authority being devoted to a belief that they deserve to have themselves served by those with power and authority over them! Relative truth allows people to view things this way. Without guided discipline in their thinking (and actions), people can easily lead themselves into a worldview that elevates self-importance, providing significance and security.
The Insanity of Our Reasoning and Our Need for Power (Authority) and Prominence
To highlight the insanity of this, I thought of a few illustrative examples that may assist in understanding what we may be doing to God when we leave Him because of difficulty or distress. Hypothetically consider yourself and God in one or more of these illustrations:
A dog wishes to manipulate its master into a fun and rewarding life. Unsuccessful in their attempts because the master did not provide the correct exercise, games, or preferred food, the dog denies the master’s existence altogether. (He may leave home and search for another master and then later come home!)
A servant, frustrated by their role being to serve the master and not enough benefits in addition to their pay, curses and denies the existence of the master.
A wealthy businessman thought women wanted a man with health, good looks and wealth, and so he obtained these. Afterwards, appreciating his social success, he understood that he should have a right to find and demand what kind of woman he wants and how they should behave. Much to his surprise, the woman of his choice was not a fan of this theory!
A physicist[1] committed to knowing why (not “if”) the world exists (or “could” exist) without God creates the multiverse theory without evidence. Note that the potential of a multiverse in no way excludes God’s existence, but it was the only way he could make it work—even though it didn’t.
It may be helpful to note that the realm of God’s power, presence, knowledge and influence extends beyond that of the physicist. It is as if the physicist (as with many other scholars) has created a box and told God that if He is omnipresent, He must fit into the box (we will call it “Science”). Reflecting on the point that God is in the box, it is then deduced that because God is in the box, He can do nothing outside of it! However, if He did not go in the box, He would not be omnipresent (omnipotent or omniscient).
The conclusion is dictated by experiments and theories interpreted through an ‘objective’ atheistic lens, waiting for validation of what is already known/supposed to be true. If anything points to God, there has got to be a better answer. It is important to see that this is certainty in uncertainty: it is a commitment to being without God, but with no answer of how creation happened except that it happened by chance.
As we find engagement, provision and tranquility in nature, I think we should appreciate the artist, scientist and provider who interwove these. The value of finding purpose in knowing and ‘discovering’ supporting arguments that there is none seems insane. However, it provides many with the ability to feel empowered and dictate their own lives and claim the achievements they make as their own.
While it provides a false sense of security and self-importance, people must remember that truth is not something we create, and the scientists and philosophers in us should look to unveil or discover truth rather than create it.
It is about establishing hypotheses and approaching the evidence with humility to learn where it leads. For me, the evidence clearly pointed—and continues to point—to our God, and this has been continually reinforced.
Question: Is it better not to walk in front of a car travelling 70 miles per hour or to believe that car will stop because you think it would be mean to hit you? One option is more expedient; the other is more intelligent.
The first two of these examples made me think of Jesus’ parable of the Lost Son (i.e. Prodigal’s Son) in Luke 15:11-32. Like the young son who left, the dog realises that the master is not so bad after all, certainly exists, and in fact, he should have been more grateful of what he had before leaving. The servant, however, like the older son, is frustrated by the lack of immediate attention, appreciation, and gifts, forgetting the inheritance he is to gain in future and the blessing that is currently at hand.
The wealthy businessman brought to mind the exorcists in Acts 19:11-20, who thought they could control the demons by the names of Paul and Jesus. The lesson being, don’t arrogantly assume you have power that does not belong to you. It is possible that you are not on top, and there is an authority greater than your own. The same lesson is highlighted by the physicist determined to prove (rather than test) his theory.
Finding Justice in Injustice and Yourself in God’s Garden
While it is easy to look at others and acknowledge their errors in judgment, it is also essential to recognise our own and the influence the world has on our own perceptions of and relationship with God. Believe it or not, sometimes we have to admit that this may be us! We may be caught thinking these thoughts. How many times have we heard or experienced the insinuation, "If God was real, and he really cared about me – and His creation might I add – then why wouldn't He just…? "
It sounds like a spoilt brat of a child with crossed arms because they are not getting exactly what they want when they want it. And further, when they get what they want, they say or think, "And so it should be," or "That was lucky," not the more appropriate, "Thank you." Privilege and right are not the same!
Nor is justice a right. Just because you give excess fruit from your tree to others rather than letting it all rot does not mean others will do the same. Just because you don't steal from others doesn't mean that others can't steal from you. Have you ever had flatmates? Just because one person values the importance of cleanliness, order, responsibility, or efficiency does not mean the others will do. There are myriads of examples of injustice one can think of.
However, this is why it is introduced that we are in a fallen world, and Jesus, the everlasting Priest, Prophet, King (cf. Ps. 110:4; Heb. 5:6, 10; 6:20; 7:3, 8, 11, 15–17, 21, 24–25, 28) and head of the church is our inspiration to continue. What happened to Christ was not limited to the context of His life as an individual, but it was corporate justice in a corporate setting; and it was a sacrifice He was willing to take because of His love for humanity, specifically, His people. The life, ministry, death and resurrection of Christ was – and remains – a central moment in world history, and this is the focal point for us. This is why we put our faith in Him, and remember the principle and command to "love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself" (Luke 10:27; cf. Mt. 22:34-40; Mk. 12:28-34; Lk. 10:25-28; Deut. 6:5; Lev 19:18).
It is not a case of "Believe and you shall receive" or "Give, and you shall receive even more" (i.e. prosperity gospel). It is about devotion and obedience to the all-powerful and all-knowing God. It is freely giving to God what He justly deserves, and showing support to others where and how you can. It is experiencing struggles with and beside God and praising Him for the wisdom gained and that you survived. It is seeing the beauty and potential in the chaos and knowing that there are bigger things in life.
Accept that you were a seed God created and planted in His Garden. You began underground, unable to see anything, but there were enough nutrients to allow you to grow, and upwards you grew. You grew towards the sun, inhaled the oxygen, and remained alive. Weeds made life challenging, but you continued. Storms were a struggle, but you survived. Droughts and floods both attempted to take you, but you remained. Was this because you were the most robust plant in the garden, with your head above all the others? Was it because you were the smartest and were side by side with the other plants? Was it because you would not tolerate the storms or that you accepted the storms?
My experience in God's Garden has been about survival, trust, living and learning. Storms, weeds, droughts, disease, and many other hazards happen, but it means taking the strength and wisdom of circumstances where and when possible. We must appreciate the beauty we see, the sunlight that nourishes, the oxygen to breathe, the water that falls from the sky, fresh air when we have it, and the plants next to us that help protect us from the wind, and competitively inspire and encourage growth and strength. We must maintain calmness where possible, as the storms can kill us, but as the author of Ecclesiastes infers, the season will pass (cf. Eccl. 3:1, 11-14).
Sometimes it is useful to remember that we were planted as seeds in God's Garden. We are His creation, and He takes care of us. We have what we need; most importantly, it is an enduring hope. Our faith in Him is made just (reinforced by) through His loving actions in Christ (cf. 1 Cor. 13:13) to let us know that when things are beyond our control, if we remain faithful to Him, there is enduring life for us, in the paradise of heaven, where sin no longer has a stranglehold on life.
Remember the blessings God gives you when you receive rain, when the sun shines, when the nights are warm, when the trees blossom, when the fruit grows, and when the birds sing. Remember those next to you as comrades, those above you who are protectors and providers, and remember the corporate identity that we have within the church, in a time that it is so easy to fragment. Remember God's instructions to not only love and obey Him but also to love and care for those around you.
Reflective Question(s):
What plant are you? What are you going to bring to the world? How will this serve God and His will for the church?
How would you apply “fruit of the Spirit” (Gal 5:22-23) to the garden metaphor?
Why is love the greatest of the three mentioned in 1 Cor 13:13?
What parallels and/or potential connections do you see between what is mentioned in the Garden metaphor above and the parable of the Sower (cf. Matt. 13:1-23; Mark 4:1-20; Luke 8:4-15)
Does obedience to the law uttered by Jesus in Luke 10:27 (cf. Dt 6:5; Lev. 19:18) provide justice in this life? If the answer is no, then why do we do it?
Can a dog be disappointed when his master does not take them to the beach, play games, go for a walk, or feed them a good meal? If they do not get what they want, can they deny the master’s existence? Why, and what relevance does this have to the agnostic and atheistic trends and philosophy in society today?
Hebrews 7:17 quotes Psalm 110:4, which states about Jesus, "You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek." Who was Melchizedek, and what does this mean about Jesus?
[1] While various scholars have taken interest in the multiverse theory, the scholar I had in mind here was Stephen Hawking. While a tremendous scientist and mathematician, as John Lennox has noted, his skills in philosophy and theology were not adequate for the reasoning he attempted in books such as The Grand Design.
