Religion Stinks in Human Hands

I have heard many stories of people who grew up in the church (usually Catholic) and hate God/religion/etc. I too have struggled with a hatred of the church and it is not surprising why. People suck. We have no hope of getting anything right. Even leaders in the church get it wrong all the time. But when "Holy" people get it wrong (or so we judge) we blame the church as a whole and God. However, the problem is not God or His design for the church. It is our pride.

The only thing different in Christians verses everyone else is the Holy Spirit given to us through the accepting of the Gospel. There is nothing else good in us so we have no reason to be proud. But alas, pride seeps in our black hearts and we think of ourselves too highly. Those that take themselves too seriously quarrel often. Those that judge others think they know better and those that judge themselves think they should be better. But the truth is, God loves us, not because we are good or are lovable but because He is great and He is Love. This makes the doctrine of adoption so wonderful.

I have been watching (addicted to) Joan of Arcadia and really impressed with the portrayal of God. In the second season, Joan has a crisis of faith and actually tries to beak up with "Hot Guy God" (God appears to Joan in various forms). It is comical but so true. We often times feel hurt by God and then want nothing to do with Him. However, no matter how gruesome the act against us, God planned it out of love, for His glory and our benefit. Hard to wrap your mind around (i know), but it is truth.
²⁸And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
Romans 8:28

It may be easier to understand through humble eyes. Try a little introspection. Introspection makes you crazy. For real. It can show you how depraved you are and then go one of three ways: You can 1) realize that there is nothing good in you and praise God for loving you because He is great, 2) try harder to be better or 3) turn to self pity which is just a form of pride thinking you should be better. You aren't. You are part of a fallen and imperfect, depraved race and there is nothing you can do about it.

In "The Cat" episode, Joan adopts a wild cat. It is an ugly, smelly, mean and ungrateful cat that hisses and scratches at the hand that feeds it. "Cat Lady God" asks Joan to care for the cat, giving her a pamphlet on how to care for the cat. Joan takes the cat home, feeds it, comforts it and reads to it. Slowly Joan lets the cat out of the cage helping it adapt to being in a loving environment. (This is kind of like introducing a new fish into the tank.) In the end, the cat runs away.

Who are we in this story? The cat.

It is true that we all are ugly, smelly, mean and ungrateful mongrels. We deserve nothing, yet God offers us everything. It doesn't always look like much through our depraved eyes, but like the cat, we need to be slowly shown who God is (through His Word - our "how to" pamphlet) so that we aren't overwhelmed. We must be looking at Him, not His people as ultimate. His people are not Him but a reflection of His perfect Son. We run away all the time, yet God doesn't stop loving us. He is always there to welcome us back with open arms as we walk through the narrow gate that is Christ.

not because of works but because of Him who calls— Romans 9:11b