Readers and would-be writers, of all people, hate cliches. One which I'd prefer to hear LESS of is : trust God.
It's so bland, so quick-fix, so illusorily profound, so "ho-ly" (clasps hands toghether). It's so catch-all, so infected with the 'say-it-anyway' syndrome.
Many (to whom the phrase is spoken) just swallow their spit, cast their eyes downward, remain silent a couple of seconds, "nod knowingly" and refuse to ask the very question that their souls long to ask but somehow are too exhausted or too afraid or take too much for granted, to even begin voicing out to anyone who'd listen: "What the HELL do you mean by that?!"
Does it mean anything DIFFERENT from merely not drinking, smoking, crying and cursing myself to shreds? (Don't answer that)
What am I supposed to actually DO as a way of, or whilst performing the act of, or as preparation for - oooh - "putting my trust in God"?
Do you just want to me to 'pray and read the Bible'? In that case, why not just tell me to 'pray and read the Bible'?
I want to know how to make a decision here - how does telling me to 'trust God' help? Will the answer suddenly pop into my head?
What - pray tell, seriously, I beg of you, don't keep me in suspense - is the DIFFERENCE between telling me to 'trust God' and not telling me to do so?
Or are you just giving me Nike-like advice? You Just Say It? And hope I buy it?
Posted at 10:07 pm by alwynlau
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Alwyn
January 27, 2007 08:13 PM PST
Derek ~ I think that scene was awesome and does sometime capture the dynamic between God and Man (as Scripture understands it). The MAIN issue with Indy's example, however, is that his faith wasn't directed towards a *person* which is that the Christian faith is mainly about: TRUSTING in an all-loving, all-capable, self-revealing God Who is bigger than one's problems. ;)
Indy's "leap" was unfortunately a kind of faith IN FAITH thinggy...(although maybe Spielberg & Lucas may disagree *grin*) |
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Derek L.
January 27, 2007 03:50 AM PST
Remember that Indiana Jones scene where he takes a leap of faith while trying to cross that chasm and he steps out onto what looks like empty air only to find that it's actually a camouflaged bridge? That's what faith is for me. |
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Alwyn
January 25, 2007 10:53 PM PST
i think you're on to something there...it's like we should trust without knowing what 'trust' actually consists of...kinda like a paradox, a strange loop you can't get out of, right? i mean, it's ALMOST as if you DO know what trust "involves" then there is to that extend some trust LOST!!!
Confusing? |
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z
January 25, 2007 10:37 AM PST
. . . but that (your last 7 paragraphs or so) is precisely why "trust God" is so precise sometimes!
trusting God doesn't mean we understand what things mean; it doesn't mean we know what to do; it doesn't mean we can see the light of the tunnel.
it means precisely that we don't know all those things! :):)
so, yes, sometimes ppl say it as a way out, and other times . . . it is so apt, for the reasons/frustrations you've just outlined.
my two cents. |
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