I first got an inkling that something was wrong with me, after a troubling romantic episode. My theory was a build up of stress, capped by an overload of negative emotions broke down my typically strong bodily constitution.
A colleague noticed I had a lump in my neck and asked that I check it out. Thus began a 2 year process of injections and drugs. So much so, I would eventually have to teach a colleague how to administer the injections for when work required us to travel out-of-station. And I got a doctor's note to travel with packets of tablets when going out of the country. But, this blog post isn't about me. It's also not about having to deal with a dad who suffered a broken leg, then hypertension then a stroke. It's really about what happened 2 years later.
My mom, the solid rock and Amazon, became afflicted with a strange illness. For some reason, it robbed her of the ability to talk, move much or respond to external stimuli. Doctors proffered disparate diagnosis and a subsequent litany of drug prescriptions. Now, as anyone knows, when you're on a diet of drugs without a clear diagnosis; in their trial-and-error fashion, the drugs begin to wreck havoc to your body and mind.
As you can imagine, confusion, trepidation and uncertainty gripped my family. Should she be hospitalised? Should a resident nurse be hired, as 24hr care was required? Would my dad be able to handle the pressure as he was also dealing with serious health issues? How would we handle the financial pressure of a condition that seemed to have no time frame?
In the midst of the uncertainty, my family chose to appeal to God, the Healer. I think at some point in everyone's life, we come face-to-face with God's promises and take the frightening step of attempting to believe them. It isn't everyone who grows up with a natural faith in God. Some develop a personal relationship with him late in life and take tentative steps to develop trust in his word.
In trusting God to heal my mum, my family came together to fast and pray. I've never been the type to fast. But, I've come to understand that beyond being a symbol of humility (and for some, a way to impose serenity on fleshy passions), fasting can also be a seed.
Sowing is self-imposed deprivation towards a cause. So when you fast, you deprive yourself of culinary treats as a function of humility and demonstration of faith (an expectation of something you're believing in). I may be wrong, but when you have nothing else to give, fasting can become a seed. (This is my opinion).
My family fasted and prayed. (Afterall what else could we do and who else could we turn to?) Coming together to pray binds a family in a common cause. (However, I still dislike the routine morning and evening prayers families engage in. Growing up in a religious family turned me off them for life).
We trusted God because we had taken a pledge to give our lives to him and so, we expected him to take care of us and intervene in our troubling circumstances.
2 weeks later, I witnessed a bona fide miracle on Christmas day. My mom who wasn't talking or moving much, was up, dressed in finery, made up and sitting in the parlour waiting to go to church. In the following weeks, she would rally and make a remarkable recovery. Needless to say, i now believe in miracles.
As i look back on The God Chronicles, i am amazed by how far God has brought me and how much he longs to develop a relationship with humanity; how much he desires to be involved in our daily lives & thoughts and how much he wants to direct us to achieve his purpose.
The purpose of the Chronicles was to try to capture in some measure the little i've come to know about God and to express my heart to him and the people around me. I hope it's provided you with a glimpse.
As always, i would love to hear from you. I'm @subomiplumptre on Twitter or you can send a mail to subomiplumptre@yahoo.com. You can also join the conversation at #ShoSpeaks.
Subomi Plumptre's Blog: Thoughts, beliefs and expressions
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
The God Chronicles Part 4: God, the Saviour
[The following essay represents a personal conviction which i reserve the right to express publicly].
There are four knotty issues I contended with when I accepted Jesus Christ as a "Lord and Saviour" (a.k.a getting "Born Again":)).
1. That I was separated from God and he considered me a sinner because of something some guy and his wife did almost 2,000 years ago in a garden of indeterminate location
2. The existence of a "Trinity" - God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit
3. The concept of Jesus Christ as the "Son of God"
4. The process of "Salvation" which seemed to require so little
I spent considerable time musing on these issues, trying to resolve them or at least come to a place of quiet conviction. I eventually "accepted" them as fundamentally true even before I began to "understand" them. Perhaps this is what people call "Faith". The heart does recognise infallible truth when it comes in contact with it.
The first concept becomes easy when you relate it to "authority". For example, an evil President can condemn a population of 140m people to multi-generational poverty, hopelessness, terror and international scorn by his actions or inactions. Conversely, a good President can figuratively save an entire nation.
In the same vein, one man, Adam was placed in a position of authority over mankind. He disobeyed God and screwed the whole of mankind over. And so another 'man' needed to step in (one without sin), in a representative capacity to redeem man. Hence, the need for God the Son to be born into the world as a man. It never ceases to amaze me how we believe in fantastical tales of science fiction and mythology but stumble at the concept of God the Son being born into the world as a man in the person of Jesus Christ. When he shed his blood, he paid the price for our sins and created a way for us to be reconnected to God our Father. When God raised him from the dead, he did so, so he could defeat eternal death once and for all. It doesn't mean we no longer sin. But now we can appeal to the redemptive work of Jesus and gain forgiveness when we do.
The second concept - The Trinity - requires a better mind than mine to explain. But I do know that God tries to explain incredibly difficult concepts to us using human typologies. Hence, the closest I've come to understanding the Trinity is to consider that man is a Spirit who has a Soul and lives in a Body.
God is our eternal Father. His Son, Jesus Christ is his Word, his ultimate representative and the only one we can look upon. The Holy Spirit is a quickening regenerative Spirit. The Three are One.
The third concept - the Sonship of Jesus Christ - is where a number of people sometimes get stumped. Again, it goes back to the principle of designated authority. God does not procreate and does not have a wife. Sonship is a title not a biological designation. It describes perfect manifestation; someone who has authority to act. Sonship on earth tries to mirror this but I submit that God is the First Father while Jesus is the First Son.
The fourth concept - the process of salvation - requires simple belief and incredible humility. It requires an acknowledgement that our own works can never save us and that we require the grace and mercy of God.
A man/woman comes to a place where he recognises his limitations and the fact that he's a sinner. Sometimes, he doesn't even know what his heart is searching for. He just knows he needs something/someone. In the words of the song, I'm With You by Avril Lavigne, he recognises "It's a damn cold night. Trying to figure out this life. Take me by the hand, take me somewhere new. I don't know who you are but I'm with you".
The process of salvation may be "simple" but it is profound. A man arrives at the point of submission, acknowledges God's Lordship, Jesus' Sonship and ability to save and accepts it. It's not necessarily about speech or the words we say out loud, or else the vocally challenged can't be saved. But confession is prescribed because words are significant. Saying it out loud is a declaration of a decision.
A simple prayer of salvation would go thus: God, I need you. I messed up. I can't save myself. I believe Jesus your Son can, cause he gave his life for mine. You also raised him from the dead so I can defeat eternal death too. Please save me. Amen.
I believe salvation is not an end in itslef. It has very little to do with going to a heaven of indeterminate location, though that's a plus. Rather, it's much more about building a relationship with God, knowing him and unlocking a lifetime of fulfilling purpose and having a positive impact on the world.
I've tried to summarise the little I personally know of salvation. It would be my pleasure to continue this conversation. Feedback is always welcome.
(Buzz me @subomiplumptre, subomiplumptre@yahoo.com or join the conversation at #MakingGodFamous,#ShoSpeaks)
There are four knotty issues I contended with when I accepted Jesus Christ as a "Lord and Saviour" (a.k.a getting "Born Again":)).
1. That I was separated from God and he considered me a sinner because of something some guy and his wife did almost 2,000 years ago in a garden of indeterminate location
2. The existence of a "Trinity" - God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit
3. The concept of Jesus Christ as the "Son of God"
4. The process of "Salvation" which seemed to require so little
I spent considerable time musing on these issues, trying to resolve them or at least come to a place of quiet conviction. I eventually "accepted" them as fundamentally true even before I began to "understand" them. Perhaps this is what people call "Faith". The heart does recognise infallible truth when it comes in contact with it.
The first concept becomes easy when you relate it to "authority". For example, an evil President can condemn a population of 140m people to multi-generational poverty, hopelessness, terror and international scorn by his actions or inactions. Conversely, a good President can figuratively save an entire nation.
In the same vein, one man, Adam was placed in a position of authority over mankind. He disobeyed God and screwed the whole of mankind over. And so another 'man' needed to step in (one without sin), in a representative capacity to redeem man. Hence, the need for God the Son to be born into the world as a man. It never ceases to amaze me how we believe in fantastical tales of science fiction and mythology but stumble at the concept of God the Son being born into the world as a man in the person of Jesus Christ. When he shed his blood, he paid the price for our sins and created a way for us to be reconnected to God our Father. When God raised him from the dead, he did so, so he could defeat eternal death once and for all. It doesn't mean we no longer sin. But now we can appeal to the redemptive work of Jesus and gain forgiveness when we do.
The second concept - The Trinity - requires a better mind than mine to explain. But I do know that God tries to explain incredibly difficult concepts to us using human typologies. Hence, the closest I've come to understanding the Trinity is to consider that man is a Spirit who has a Soul and lives in a Body.
God is our eternal Father. His Son, Jesus Christ is his Word, his ultimate representative and the only one we can look upon. The Holy Spirit is a quickening regenerative Spirit. The Three are One.
The third concept - the Sonship of Jesus Christ - is where a number of people sometimes get stumped. Again, it goes back to the principle of designated authority. God does not procreate and does not have a wife. Sonship is a title not a biological designation. It describes perfect manifestation; someone who has authority to act. Sonship on earth tries to mirror this but I submit that God is the First Father while Jesus is the First Son.
The fourth concept - the process of salvation - requires simple belief and incredible humility. It requires an acknowledgement that our own works can never save us and that we require the grace and mercy of God.
A man/woman comes to a place where he recognises his limitations and the fact that he's a sinner. Sometimes, he doesn't even know what his heart is searching for. He just knows he needs something/someone. In the words of the song, I'm With You by Avril Lavigne, he recognises "It's a damn cold night. Trying to figure out this life. Take me by the hand, take me somewhere new. I don't know who you are but I'm with you".
The process of salvation may be "simple" but it is profound. A man arrives at the point of submission, acknowledges God's Lordship, Jesus' Sonship and ability to save and accepts it. It's not necessarily about speech or the words we say out loud, or else the vocally challenged can't be saved. But confession is prescribed because words are significant. Saying it out loud is a declaration of a decision.
A simple prayer of salvation would go thus: God, I need you. I messed up. I can't save myself. I believe Jesus your Son can, cause he gave his life for mine. You also raised him from the dead so I can defeat eternal death too. Please save me. Amen.
I believe salvation is not an end in itslef. It has very little to do with going to a heaven of indeterminate location, though that's a plus. Rather, it's much more about building a relationship with God, knowing him and unlocking a lifetime of fulfilling purpose and having a positive impact on the world.
I've tried to summarise the little I personally know of salvation. It would be my pleasure to continue this conversation. Feedback is always welcome.
(Buzz me @subomiplumptre, subomiplumptre@yahoo.com or join the conversation at #MakingGodFamous,#ShoSpeaks)
Tuesday, August 07, 2012
The God Chronicles Part 3: God, the Intelligent
I can’t tell you when I fell in love with God’s Word. As a child, I attended Sunday School and read Bible stories like anyone else. And they were just that, stories. I can’t tell you exactly when the word of God became essential to my being; when I began to look forward to reading it every day; when it became essential to me.
Perhaps, it was when the words began to impact me specifically and not generally. I would study the Word and it would be relevant to my circumstances and challenges. It became an active and responsive thing. And no, it wasn’t some variation of lotto where I’d drop the Bible on the bed and take the first random thing that opened up as gospel truth! After all, the Word of God is not a diviner’s stone. But, in my daily readings, God began to speak to me.
The subject didn’t matter – Relationships, work, family, sadness – there was always a word for me. I remember I used to muse in difficult times, “If only I can spend some time listening to God and reading the Word, I’ll find the answer”. And so, the Word of God became my comfort, direction and instruction (this part I resisted:)). It began to shape my character and worldview; opening up my mind. My brain virtually became prised open as ideas, intellect and inspiration poured in. It is assumed that I am intelligent, but very few people know I became more intelligent and discerning because of a consistent consumption of the Word of God. Nothing else has impacted my life like it.
Funny thing about the Word of God – being open-minded and reading other things enhances your understanding of it.
If you read poetry, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of the Psalms. If you learn about the nomadic habits of shepherds, you’ll appreciate some of the factors that shaped King David’s youth. If you understand science, you’ll better appreciate Moses’ and Apostle Paul’s references to cosmology.
The Proverbs exhort us to “buy wisdom, buy education, buy insight”. You wouldn’t need to buy it, if it were free or could easily be downloaded from the internet. The most specialised courses, schools, research material etc. often need to be paid for or at the very least worked for. You must exchange something for it – time, effort, sacrifice or money. Wisdom is very precious and at a certain level the Word of God builds both your intellect and wisdom. Yes, the Holy Spirit gives insight and understanding, but it’s hard to communicate concepts and contexts that you don’t have any reference for. Don’t get me wrong. You’ll still be personally blessed by the Word, but your application of it in wider contexts e.g. Business, politics etc. will be severely limited. You’ll become one of those Christians that don’t make sense and can’t effectively function outside of Church.
If you cannot read and interpret the Word, then you are at the mercy of the one doing the reading to your hearing. Even when the Holy Spirit reveals a word to you, you will not have the intellectual base to effectively implement it. “In all thy getting, get understanding”.
One of the main reasons why I remain a born again Christian is because of an abiding love for God’s Word. I’m not a theologian and can’t tell you the specifics of how the Word became flesh, but I can testify of its life transforming power."
I leave you with Apostle Paul's prayer: "I ask — ask the God of our Master, Jesus Christ, the God of glory—to make you intelligent and discerning in knowing him personally, your eyes focused and clear, so that you can see exactly what it is he is calling you to do, grasp the immensity of this glorious way of life he has for his followers, oh, the utter extravagance of his work in us who trust him — endless energy, boundless strength!
It would be my honour to tell you a little bit more about God, the intelligent one-on-one. Let’s begin a conversation: subomiplumptre@yahoo.com.
(Follow me @subomiplumptre or join the conversation at #MakingGodFamous,#ShoSpeaks)
Perhaps, it was when the words began to impact me specifically and not generally. I would study the Word and it would be relevant to my circumstances and challenges. It became an active and responsive thing. And no, it wasn’t some variation of lotto where I’d drop the Bible on the bed and take the first random thing that opened up as gospel truth! After all, the Word of God is not a diviner’s stone. But, in my daily readings, God began to speak to me.
The subject didn’t matter – Relationships, work, family, sadness – there was always a word for me. I remember I used to muse in difficult times, “If only I can spend some time listening to God and reading the Word, I’ll find the answer”. And so, the Word of God became my comfort, direction and instruction (this part I resisted:)). It began to shape my character and worldview; opening up my mind. My brain virtually became prised open as ideas, intellect and inspiration poured in. It is assumed that I am intelligent, but very few people know I became more intelligent and discerning because of a consistent consumption of the Word of God. Nothing else has impacted my life like it.
Funny thing about the Word of God – being open-minded and reading other things enhances your understanding of it.
If you read poetry, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of the Psalms. If you learn about the nomadic habits of shepherds, you’ll appreciate some of the factors that shaped King David’s youth. If you understand science, you’ll better appreciate Moses’ and Apostle Paul’s references to cosmology.
The Proverbs exhort us to “buy wisdom, buy education, buy insight”. You wouldn’t need to buy it, if it were free or could easily be downloaded from the internet. The most specialised courses, schools, research material etc. often need to be paid for or at the very least worked for. You must exchange something for it – time, effort, sacrifice or money. Wisdom is very precious and at a certain level the Word of God builds both your intellect and wisdom. Yes, the Holy Spirit gives insight and understanding, but it’s hard to communicate concepts and contexts that you don’t have any reference for. Don’t get me wrong. You’ll still be personally blessed by the Word, but your application of it in wider contexts e.g. Business, politics etc. will be severely limited. You’ll become one of those Christians that don’t make sense and can’t effectively function outside of Church.
If you cannot read and interpret the Word, then you are at the mercy of the one doing the reading to your hearing. Even when the Holy Spirit reveals a word to you, you will not have the intellectual base to effectively implement it. “In all thy getting, get understanding”.
One of the main reasons why I remain a born again Christian is because of an abiding love for God’s Word. I’m not a theologian and can’t tell you the specifics of how the Word became flesh, but I can testify of its life transforming power."
I leave you with Apostle Paul's prayer: "I ask — ask the God of our Master, Jesus Christ, the God of glory—to make you intelligent and discerning in knowing him personally, your eyes focused and clear, so that you can see exactly what it is he is calling you to do, grasp the immensity of this glorious way of life he has for his followers, oh, the utter extravagance of his work in us who trust him — endless energy, boundless strength!
It would be my honour to tell you a little bit more about God, the intelligent one-on-one. Let’s begin a conversation: subomiplumptre@yahoo.com.
(Follow me @subomiplumptre or join the conversation at #MakingGodFamous,#ShoSpeaks)
The God Chronicles Part 2: Not Afraid to Ask Why
It is assumed that if we bring God down to “our level” or demystify him, people will either take him for granted or fail to accord him the reverence he deserves. They may even deign to treat the things that are holy as carnal. Thus, Christianity has evolved into this abstract, irrelevant, and sectarian club.
Perhaps we failed to understand that very few human beings can relate to abstract concepts. And so, a student may read a voluminous textbook prior to an exam because he can readily relate the work required to the desired outcome. It’s clear-cut. But, ask the same student to read his bible cover-to-cover with the same intensity and dedication and he honestly can’t understand why. He’s not being lazy or unserious as some Christians would accuse. His dedication to other pursuits disproves this. His love hasn’t “waxed cold” (when in truth, it was never properly forged, in the first place). He just hasn’t been brought to a place of understanding, where he sees the desired outcome of Christianity in real terms, beyond the snake oil skin merchants of prosperity or deliverance.
I am not advocating that we containerise God so our mortal minds can understand him or that we belittle exalted things. But I ask that we actively reveal those aspects of him that will help people truly relate to him. Jesus called himself friend, brother and son. God revealed himself as healer, deliverer and the one who is ever present. God consistently stoops to conquer. In the same vein, as Christians, we must be willing to address thorny questions and answer people’s queries about Christianity when they ask. We must stop shutting people up, condescending to them or patronising them. A simple “I don’t know” will suffice if in truth we don't, and we must then point them in the direction of someone who does know.
We mustn’t seek to have the last word in every discussion about our Father. Like Socrates, we must be willing to dissect issues, whittling them to their core essence. We must shake off every facade of piety and refrain from keeping up appearances of strength when we are most frail. Instead, we should acknowledge that we are saved by the kind grace of God.
I cannot claim to be God’s personal best friend or to comprehensively love him (for if the measure of love is obedience, then I fall short). But, I’m trying to get to know him; to build a personal, elemental relationship with him and to live for his purposes. That journey began with many questions and will grow through a desire to know and be known.
And so, I dare to call him by what i personally know about him; what has been revealed to me. I call him God, the Intelligent.
(Follow me @subomiplumptre or join the conversation at #MakingGodFamous,#ShoSpeaks)
Perhaps we failed to understand that very few human beings can relate to abstract concepts. And so, a student may read a voluminous textbook prior to an exam because he can readily relate the work required to the desired outcome. It’s clear-cut. But, ask the same student to read his bible cover-to-cover with the same intensity and dedication and he honestly can’t understand why. He’s not being lazy or unserious as some Christians would accuse. His dedication to other pursuits disproves this. His love hasn’t “waxed cold” (when in truth, it was never properly forged, in the first place). He just hasn’t been brought to a place of understanding, where he sees the desired outcome of Christianity in real terms, beyond the snake oil skin merchants of prosperity or deliverance.
I am not advocating that we containerise God so our mortal minds can understand him or that we belittle exalted things. But I ask that we actively reveal those aspects of him that will help people truly relate to him. Jesus called himself friend, brother and son. God revealed himself as healer, deliverer and the one who is ever present. God consistently stoops to conquer. In the same vein, as Christians, we must be willing to address thorny questions and answer people’s queries about Christianity when they ask. We must stop shutting people up, condescending to them or patronising them. A simple “I don’t know” will suffice if in truth we don't, and we must then point them in the direction of someone who does know.
We mustn’t seek to have the last word in every discussion about our Father. Like Socrates, we must be willing to dissect issues, whittling them to their core essence. We must shake off every facade of piety and refrain from keeping up appearances of strength when we are most frail. Instead, we should acknowledge that we are saved by the kind grace of God.
I cannot claim to be God’s personal best friend or to comprehensively love him (for if the measure of love is obedience, then I fall short). But, I’m trying to get to know him; to build a personal, elemental relationship with him and to live for his purposes. That journey began with many questions and will grow through a desire to know and be known.
And so, I dare to call him by what i personally know about him; what has been revealed to me. I call him God, the Intelligent.
(Follow me @subomiplumptre or join the conversation at #MakingGodFamous,#ShoSpeaks)
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