I’m beginning to suspect that a significant number of my future posts will in some way be about God and my thoughts about him. Those who know me best right now know that by virtue of pre-disposition (to some level) as well as “situation” (I won’t shed light on situation right now… sometime soon I promise), I think a lot about God, from both philosophical and theological angles, and about the things I’m learning in the Bible. So since I’ve widened my concept of what this blog should be about I expect a lot of those topics to become a part of it.

In saying that I realize that I want to be seen as “normal” (who is “normal” really?), whatever that means. I guess what I mean is that I want to be seen as a regular person despite having many and sometimes complex thoughts about God, something which I not sure can be considered “regular”. I guess it would be irregular if that appeared to be the only dimension of my thoughts or if it appeared to be too narrow a focus, never affecting the rest of life. I’m not sure what to do with that desire, but there it is for the world to see. Enough talk of “regularity”, lest I be misunderstood to be referring to something else. I would promise not to ever blog about that type of regularity but I won’t, just to keep my options open.

I’m beginning to suspect some people grow weak in their ability to think things through – their logic muscles begin to waste away – because they are seen by others as authorities. They no longer need to explain themselves carefully and clearly in order for their audience to find them compelling – their audience believes in them perhaps because of position or the giftings they are perceived to possess – therefore they no longer have the need to think clearly and carefully either. That’s par for the course when it comes to politicians and their supporters, I’d guess. I might even be desirable. It’s disastrous for both them and their audiences when it happens to preachers though, and it is something I think they should fight desperately against.

I suspect another category of people (not necessarily mutually exclusive of the first) decay in a similar way because they’ve long decided what is what and they only esteem those who agree with them, and therefore surround themselves with such people. As a result they are rarely put in a position where they need to present and defend their positions (among those who think alike, you only need to refer to a position) and therefore have become lazy in their thinking.I suspect these things because I’ve experienced both sorts of weakness and laziness over the past several months.

I’m beginning to suspect (and I guess this would be a “child” suspicion of the “parent” suspicions above) that being where I am right now – the outsider, the untrusted, the one whose ideas people are suspicious of (there’s a lot of suspicion in this post) – is actually a great place to be for my growth and mental sharpness. I don’t think there are many around me who accept what I say because I, Joel Bain, said it. I could be wrong, but that’s how I feel. Because I feel that way it shapes my behaviour. It puts me in a position where I must carefully think through what I teach or suggest because I fully expect it to be challenged. So I’m always asking myself “Does this stand up to examination? Have I thought this through properly? Is is biblical (in the case of teaching the Bible) and logical and reasonable (in the case of arguments of a more philosophical nature, as well as in the case of teaching the Bible)? What might be some of the objections to this perspective?” I suspect that a part of the suspicion that surrounds me comes from the fact that some of the things I advance are so different from what those around me are comfortable with. In any case, real or perceived I suspect it’s very good for my growth and mental fitness. So thank  you God for hostile, or at the very least, unwelcoming environments.

I’m beginning to suspect that I was wrong in thinking this would be a particularly short post…

I’m beginning to suspect that the teaching and Biblical understanding of the sovereignty of God has inadvertently been trampled under a postmodern notion of the love of God – a notion which out of necessity marginalizes sovereignty to make room for itself. “Good Christians” of course, give lip service to sovereignty but there is little awe and worship, and very few find comfort and security in it, the way they hope in and hide in their notion of God’s love. I’m beginning to suspect that that is an error we’ll come to regret because there’s so much truth, really useful and practical truth, caught up in and built on a correct understanding of God’s sovereignty. I strongly suspect that I should add a sub-category under the category “God” for “sovereignty” because it’s going to come up again soon. Done.

I suspect that Maia will wake up very soon, so I figure if I want to post this today I should do so now.

Happy Saturday.