Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Engaging God's World - Plantinga (Creation)

I found this chapter a little bit repetitive of what I have learned so far at Calvin. That being that God created the wonderful and beautiful earth, he made all miraculous creatures, and lastly he made humans. He rested on the seventh day, which means that if God needs rest most certainly we do too. 

I will admit (even after reading the chapter), I am still a little bit confused about why God created us. I understand that it was not "a necessity nor an accident", but there are so many other options. Did God want to create us? Yes, but he didn't need to. Why did God want create us? I feel that this book does not give a very good explanation. 

I have always believed and told people that God made us for the same reason a couple will have kids. God knew that it was going to take a lot of work and selfless acts once we were made, in same way that a couple knows that it's a lot of work and takes selfless acts to raise a child. So why does a couple want to have a child? Well, assuming that it was not a mistake, the best reason I can think of is to love it and be loved in returned. In the same way, God made us to love us and be loved in returned. 

I've always thought the idea of God creating everything a bit confusing. And when I say God creating everything I mean in it a sense of everything, even things man created, they were God's idea first. This means cities, televisions, water bottles, ipods, birthday cakes, hiking socks and even post-it notes. But what about the items that were made just for evil? Perhaps an AK-47 or abortion utensils? Where these God's idea too? I don't know what I think on this subject, it is something that I need more wisdom to really stand my ground and say yes or no. 

"According to God's intelligence, the way to thrive is to help other thrive; the way to flourish is to cause others to flourish; the way to fulfill yourself is to spend yourself."

I love the idea putting all the energy I have into other people. And even more I love the idea of gaining so much from it. It's like a secret that not many practice, but the ones that do practice this divine secret have found something so holy and joyful, and most importantly pleasing to God.

1 comment:

  1. "If He who in Himself can lack nothing chooses to need us, it is because we need to be needed." -C.S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain

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