I was initially a bit worried about using the word addiction to refer to the different ways we can maintain our relationship with God, since it has so many negative associations. Coffee, chocolate, cigarettes and the rest, very easy to get hooked on, very hard to give up.
I also had questions about “How do we get addicted? Or “How do we renew an addiction that we once had?” Since even though worship is important and powerful, Can I live without it?
However, if you peel away the outer layers of how we keep in touch with God, and get back to the person of Jesus, he gives the answer when he says "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." (Jn4,13)
I am addicted to God like I am addicted to water. The amazing twist is that in meeting my need, unlike all other addictions which are inherently selfish, this water flows though me to others. Amazing!
I also had questions about “How do we get addicted? Or “How do we renew an addiction that we once had?” Since even though worship is important and powerful, Can I live without it?
However, if you peel away the outer layers of how we keep in touch with God, and get back to the person of Jesus, he gives the answer when he says "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." (Jn4,13)
I am addicted to God like I am addicted to water. The amazing twist is that in meeting my need, unlike all other addictions which are inherently selfish, this water flows though me to others. Amazing!
2 comments:
I too am not addicted to Bible reading particularly but there is a strange sense in which I am addicted to God. I can't seem to stay away no matter what. Other friends seem to not have the same interest/need. I have always found that a mystery.
There was an interesting programme on BBC2 (9 pm) last night entitled 'Am I Normal?- Spirituality' - an interesting question I think. It might be worth catching it on BBCi Player to see what you think. It is presented by the psychologist Dr Tanya Byron who I have always found fair and interesting. I can't resist those sort of questions - a sort of addiction in itself I guess.
Overall though I am pleased to be addicted to God and I think I am normal (well, as normal as any one of us!). Prayer I have often thought is getting back to a type of ‘sanity’ and away for the other addictions of money, status, busyness, etc.
Maybe we as human beings are all addicted to something and God is the only safe one!
Recently I watched 'Horton Hears a Who' at the cinema with a group of primary school children . I came away thinking it was a great little exploration of a relationship with a God who is of a completely different dimension.
I made the mistake of trying to say that to a colleague who, as far as she was concerned, was just accompanying the children to a film, and the blank look she gave me made me feel I might be a little unhinged in thinking I might learn anything of God from such a triviality.
But still...
I would rather be open to the possibility of God making himself more visible, than be so sure he won't that I don't look.
I was reminded of the professor of Psychology here in Hatfield, who conducted some research which involved getting people to concentrate on counting the balls being passed about in a sports game. He then got a guy in a gorilla suit to walk across the screen. Because people were so busy counting the balls, they just didn't see what was right in front of them. After the experiment he showed them the films and they were incredulous that they were blind to something so obvious.
So, my prayer would be, 'Lord enable me to be tuned in to you and to see you in the places where you show yourself', but also, in the words of Corrie Ten Boom, 'keep me in your will and don't let me go go mad by poking about outside it.'
Post a Comment