The Art of Balance

I've been contemplating how I understand and interpret God lately. It seems to me there are two extremes in understanding God and finding that good balance is a hard task. For some, they view God as someone far off and distant, uninvolved and unrelatable. You might say this is the God of a deist, who believes that God created the world but then left it to run on it's own existence and has no involvement in His creation. And then there's the opposite spectrum who believe in a Jesus who is totally relatable to the human dilemma, who sympathizes, who goes with us.

God is either so high above us, his holiness, his light cannot be mixed with darkness or he is near and close. Or, maybe he's both. And, how do we find that balance? Who makes these rules about God and then how do we as lay people interpret our lives in Him and He in us?

I do know that I'm not okay with a God who is so human that we forget he is also divine, holy and the Creator, not the Creation. But I can't help but experience a silly sort of joy in realizing that He is with me. He is not me and I am not him.

Here's another one of my struggles: a view where God is 100 percent masculine in character, with no aspect of what we would deem "feminine." Right away, I know that I will probably deter some people away when I say this. But seriously, if we are all (men and woman) created in the image of God and God is the Creator of both male and females, wouldn't some of his character traits be what we as humans would classify as "feminine?" What I mean by this is God is both tough and strong and mighty as well as compassionate, nurturing and caring. He is a God of both grace and truth, of empathy and justice. To say God is limited to be strong and mighty and just, without being nurturing and loving limits not only God himself but also me, because I'm made in his image and possess "feminine traits."

And indeed another struggle I have with understanding the character of God is in the way we worship Him. Whether lyric or dance or poetry or art, God is exalted in such different ways. I believe we worship God for who he is and also for what he does. The problem is when human interpretation gets mingled with what is truly true truth.

Lastly, what is it about this debate that seems generational? No offense but many from the older generation view God as he has been traditionally viewed and worshiped. More of my generation desire to not embrace something new per se but something beyond what has been assumed to be the right way. Many of the younger generation also intreprete God in a relatable, with-us sort of mindset. Is it too touchy-feely, or are they on to something in this balancing act? I have heard comments lately from the older generation, criticizing worship that is un-hymn-like. Who made that a rule? There are plenty of hymns that are slaughtered with bad theology! I love much of modern worship lyrics and am excited with how far they have come. Just because we don't know the song, doesn't mean it's a bad song. And, what will heaven be like? Will we be singing the same worship songs, or will there be new worship and new music unto the Lord? Who makes these rules? I am one of a few in my generation who actually know many of the hymns, but I also have no problem and in fact take a great amount of joy in worshiping my God to a new song.

So maybe this age old debate comes down to not one extreme or the other, but a good balance. And how do we achieve that balance? Who ultimately says whether its right or wrong? How do we live lives lead by the Spirit and not our own pride?