Indeed. I do believe we have have God within us â I actually even believe that all matter, living and non-living, is God, so naturally we find Him within â and I do greatly value the experience of coming to know Him, independent of the outside world.
Thank you to the poster who pointed out their perspective on the wolves scenario that I suggested. I do respect your position.
I suppose the point I am trying to make, is that to me, one may find God on oneâs own, and perhaps there is greater value in that explorationâfor some people.
Has anyone here ever read the story âTeddyâ by J.D. Salinger? It is contained in a slim volume called âNine Stories.â The story is about a little boy who is a savant, with a genius IQ, and it takes place back in the old days, when genius children would appear on radio shows and be asked questions by a panel of experts, intent on getting their take on thingsâand also intent on coming to understand how such a small child could hold a genius mentality. Teddy is deeply spiritual, and professes to âknowâ God through an intimate relationship he has come to on His own. He speaks in reverent tones of God, and of His love for Him.
Teddy spoke to something that touched me deeply, and I will never forget it. He said that he believes children are robbed of coming to experiences on their own, when they are âgivenâ those experiences, instead of waiting for their curiosity to rise up, their natural thirst.
His first example was regarding basic things, such as telling a small child, âAn elephant is big.â He said âan elephant is only big when it is next to something. Put an elephant next to a skyscraper --now is it big?â This may seem like mere semantics, but the idea he was trying to develop is that a child can form associations based on well-meaning direction by adults, that may rob him of furthering his curiosity in exploration of our natural world.
Then he enters the discussion concerning religion. He said that if you are raising your child in a religion, you are telling them, âWe believe in God, who is comprised of a Trinity, made up of God the Father, Jesus His Son who came to this earth and who will one day come again, and the Holy Spiritâ (as an example). If the child goes along with this and worships as his parents worship, Teddy argues, he hasnât had any experience to direct him to those beliefs. A natural curiosity, thirst, and longing for God, arises up in the curious youngster, and they then reach out to try to grasp for God. Even if raised in a culture that has no believe in God, a child will do this grasping and it will come from a place deep within him that already âknowsâ there is a God. Teddy cautioned that this beautiful thirst is robbed from a small child if he is simply âgivenâ God and doesnât have to find him.
I was âgivenâ God as a small child, and of course I have mixed feelings for what Teddy suggests, as I did benefit from having been given God, in many ways. I suffered with anxiety, for instance, so I often said prayers to God and asked Him for help.
Yet another part of me, that has always been curious, thirsting, longing, relates to Teddyâs premise.
As an adult, I feel the thirst and longing he describes, and I feel ânew againâ in many ways. I have a firm background understanding of Christian theology, and that background is as much a part of me as my scholastic education, my rearing, my heritage. It will never âdrop awayâ or disappear. Itâs in me for good! I know right from wrong, and I respect and love my fellow man. I would never be led in a direction other than that of the light.
But when I use the âwolves analogy,â I use it out of a deep respect and love for God . . . a respect and love that wishes to know what it feels like, to come to Him in a posture of complete naivete . . .having never learned a thing about whether He truly exists or if He does, in what form . . .what He asks of us, wishes for us, or why He created us . . .to instead find Him in a private, quiet moment, where itâs just God and me . . .
The longing derives from my sincere love, and its basis is that of an innocent. I hope those who find this difficult to relate to will know I always and only seek God, never the dark shadows that masquerade as Him.
Peace to each of you and again, I appreciate your comments, which were so thoughtful.
:heaven:
