Quest, “the act of searching for
something” (WordWeb)
A good friend of mine graduated summa cum laude from seminary. He was so
smart that I thought he put the upper case in the letter “a!” I encouraged him
to pursue his doctorate, but he elected not to do so. All he wanted was to
serve as an associate pastor somewhere and be able to at least teach a class on Sunday to
keep him in the Word. He never found that ecclesiastical structure. So he went to work for the post office and taught a class at a local church.
My reason for attending a
religious college was not for gainful employment in the future attached to a “higher”
calling. I had no calling of being a missionary in some far-off country or a preacher
of some local church. Truly, it was not even on my radar. Perhaps my faith was
too small to see my blip on the screen.
Anyway, I was only 8 months old in the Lord when I attended school in Tennessee; I was still adjusting to my new orientation of having my worldview turned right side up! My knowledge of the Bible was so pitiful that I put the capital “I” in the word ignorant. During the previous eight months prior to entering school, my world had radically changed from living for myself to living for the Lord. I never envisioned living in Tennessee and attending a religious college.
Anyway, I was only 8 months old in the Lord when I attended school in Tennessee; I was still adjusting to my new orientation of having my worldview turned right side up! My knowledge of the Bible was so pitiful that I put the capital “I” in the word ignorant. During the previous eight months prior to entering school, my world had radically changed from living for myself to living for the Lord. I never envisioned living in Tennessee and attending a religious college.
Sometimes it is humorous to see how
the world characterizes people of the faith, particularly Baptists. All I wanted was to understand and know God and look at the world the way that He does, not
slap people up and down with the Bible like the so-called “Bible-thumpers.” How I
wound up in Tennessee is another story altogether.
There is something about being
in the midst of those who truly desire to know God and walk in His ways; it’s a
blessing! It wasn’t as widespread on campus as one might think in a religious
college, but isn’t that true of most places, not all. A place doesn’t make us
spiritual any more than walking into a garage makes us a car. But the spiritual
spectrum ran the gamut.
In every group, there seems to be the usual mix of conservative, moderate, and liberal elements. It is the same in Christianity and in my school. Factions and social cliques thrived on campus like in every church. It was interesting to observe the various pursuits of God or chasing after Jesus by the students. There was an unfortunate arrogance among the various groups of possessing a feeling of superiority that never achieved biblical humility while I was there. I remained an outsider in many ways. The Bible-thumpers were considered to have zeal with little knowledge and divested wisdom. Admittedly, some groups were too extreme even for me.
Thankfully, my quest was never hampered by feelings of being better than others, thinking I was closer to God than anybody else, or being more gifted. I believe I was spared these plights because I compared my spirituality to Jesus as the standard of what it meant to be spiritual. Looking back, I can see more clearly the spirit of worldliness in the attitudes of that day under the guise of being religious. Hopefully, the seeds of Phariseeism never germinated into a full-blown prickly bush for those who had a propensity toward legalism. Some students were hot in their pursuit of God; others were lukewarm; and then there were those who seemed cool to the point of stalling with an air of indifference that concerned me. Is it not like this in every church as well, the different spiritual temperature settings?
In every group, there seems to be the usual mix of conservative, moderate, and liberal elements. It is the same in Christianity and in my school. Factions and social cliques thrived on campus like in every church. It was interesting to observe the various pursuits of God or chasing after Jesus by the students. There was an unfortunate arrogance among the various groups of possessing a feeling of superiority that never achieved biblical humility while I was there. I remained an outsider in many ways. The Bible-thumpers were considered to have zeal with little knowledge and divested wisdom. Admittedly, some groups were too extreme even for me.
Thankfully, my quest was never hampered by feelings of being better than others, thinking I was closer to God than anybody else, or being more gifted. I believe I was spared these plights because I compared my spirituality to Jesus as the standard of what it meant to be spiritual. Looking back, I can see more clearly the spirit of worldliness in the attitudes of that day under the guise of being religious. Hopefully, the seeds of Phariseeism never germinated into a full-blown prickly bush for those who had a propensity toward legalism. Some students were hot in their pursuit of God; others were lukewarm; and then there were those who seemed cool to the point of stalling with an air of indifference that concerned me. Is it not like this in every church as well, the different spiritual temperature settings?
Listening to the words of some of my fellow students, I often
thought, “Why are you here?” It is a question I boldly asked at times. The
answer was often, “My parents sent me here.” Indeed, I didn’t like all the campus rules,
but such policies never barred me from pursuing God. It was a focus I learned in the Navy.
I certainly didn’t agree with all
of the university’s interpretations of the “look and feel” of a born again believer,
but when I applied to go there they didn’t ask me to agree with their rules and
regulations, only to sign my name that I would abide by them. I needed what they had to offer so I submitted to
their authority in order to get what I thought I needed. It would stereotype me
in the community as a Bible-thumper though I was on a quest for truth. This Bible-thumper
label was really blown way out of proportion anyway. It really amounted to
believing a certain way and acting on that belief, and some didn't like it. Think of the number of people who do not like our position on Jn 14:6!
Some disagreed on the definition
of “distinctively Christian.” I was one of them. “Distinctively” suggested the
physical (appearance and behavior) and “Christian” involved the spiritual
aspect. I had a problem with how the institution was defining what was considered “distinctive,”
but I had to remind myself time and again that I signed the dotted line to
abide, not to agree. Who has worked for a company that agreed with everything?
As long as no one is asking us to do something immoral, unethical, or unsafe, we
should abide by the company or campus rules though we may not agree with them in toto.
I never will forget a very
gifted professor who once said, “If your heart is right your appearance will be
also.” He is right if you signed the dotted line. But outside of that campus
bubble, and free of the contract, I would contend that is not necessarily true.
There is no doubt that the wardrobe of John the Baptist or his diet was unlike anybody
else (Mt 3:4), and read what Jesus said about him (Mt 11:11).
Let me give you an example of one of those strange rules. In order to live off campus, you had to be 25 years of age or married; I was neither. Though I had been a Navy SEAL during the Vietnam conflict and taken a year of courses as a pre-law major in San Diego, I had to live on campus until I met one of those conditions; those were the rules! Nobody bent my arm to go there. I gave into the reasonable rules as well as the silly and strange rules because God wanted me there. Knowing what I know now, I could never submit to that kind of authority ever again, but looking back I see the wisdom of God in sending me there in the beginning.
I remember the very day I had to
select courses for my first semester of classes. In my room, I looked at the
choices being offered, and I simply asked God, “Lord, which professor should I take? I knew none of those men whether they were good or mediocre?” As soon as I
finished my prayer, there was a knocking on my door; I will never forget it.
This young man banging on my
door in Phillips dormitory was a senior, studying to go and join his father and
mother on the mission field after he graduated; I had met him earlier during
registration. The first words out of his mouth were, “Michael, what professors
are you taking?” I shrugged my shoulders. Then he gave me a list of professors
to take and who to avoid. I have never regretted following his recommendations.
One thing he did fail to tell me; they were some of the hardest professors in
school! Studying under the light of the midnight oil became a lifestyle for the
next few years under those recommended teachers.
In retrospect, I agreed with the
school’s interpretation of Scripture, but again I really didn't like their campus rules based on what they considered to be distinctively Christian. I also felt like I didn't belong to any of
the groups at that school, but that was probably more of a subjective thing than anything else. Over time I learned that many
parents expected the school to do what they as parents failed to do – train their children
in the fear and admonition of the Lord! They passed that responsibility onto the school; if their kids violated the rules, the
parents criticized the school! So, the rules were meant to be all-encompassing
which is unfair to those who acted responsibly. I thoroughly understood regimentation in
the military, but campus rules were over the top in some areas projecting a false spirituality or the school playing surrogate parents to self-righteous parents who failed to raise their kids in the fear and admonition of the Lord.
Nonetheless, the theology I learned there laid the groundwork for developing my spiritual belief system. I could cast a line in the waters of the Word by myself and feed my soul, and still be true to the Scriptures. It was now up to me to build upon that theological foundation. I am forever indebted to those professors who prepared me for a lifetime of study and growth and serving God in whatever capacity or vocation. I was there for the truth of the Word not in search of belonging or embracing a rigid lifestyle that was believed to profile you as “distinctively Christian.” Obeying the will of God for your life is what makes you distinctively Christian, not being in tune with the list-makers.
Nonetheless, the theology I learned there laid the groundwork for developing my spiritual belief system. I could cast a line in the waters of the Word by myself and feed my soul, and still be true to the Scriptures. It was now up to me to build upon that theological foundation. I am forever indebted to those professors who prepared me for a lifetime of study and growth and serving God in whatever capacity or vocation. I was there for the truth of the Word not in search of belonging or embracing a rigid lifestyle that was believed to profile you as “distinctively Christian.” Obeying the will of God for your life is what makes you distinctively Christian, not being in tune with the list-makers.
As a former SEAL, I knew how to set my
eyes on a goal and do whatever I had to do to reach that goal, fresh out of high
school. But unlike that training of individuality of carrying your own weight with a team mindset, I couldn’t
pull my weight in chasing after Jesus; I needed help. It was a paradigm shift
for me in the spiritual realm. To know and understand Yahweh I needed the Holy
Spirit for guidance, enablement, enlightenment, and energy (Zech 4:6; Gal
5:16; Eph 5:18). Without Him, I would most certainly fail (Jn 15:5).
The world views Christianity as a “crutch,” for those unable
to make it on their own. I truly understand and appreciate that perspective
from a SEAL point of view, but in the spiritual world, a believer’s eyes are
opened up to the futility of such thinking. We cannot save ourselves, and we
most certainly cannot live and serve Yahweh apart from Him. This is not a
crutch for me but a responsibility (cf. Rom 14:10). It is a God-send to my soul
(Jn 6:47)! We can never complete our mission (God’s will for our life) apart
from Him, never. Jesus has my back; He is my point Man; He is my firepower. I
can and you can do all things through Him who is strengthening us (Php 4:13).
I don’t quite know why I am
telling you all about this; it is like a chat among friends, perhaps of places foreign
to you, but we share the same quest regardless as believers. If anything you
get out of this it would be this; pursue after God regardless of the circumstances whether you are young or
old. There is no retirement in the Lord. We are to go full bore until we can go no
further. Looking back I see God all in my life even when I foolishly thought He
was not there. Even when I abandoned Him, He was there in my abandonment! The most emphatic promise He ever made to us in the Bible is
found in Hebrews where Jesus promised never to leave us or forsake us (Heb
13:5). In the Greek text is where you discover the forcefulness of the
guarantee that Jesus made to us.
If we could only grasp how
much He loves us regardless of where we are as a believer in our quest to
understand, know, and serve Him. The depth of His love as a non-believer is
revealed in Jn 3:16 and Rom 5:8. Imagine the love He has for us as sons and
daughters; why, He loves us with an everlasting love; a love that will never
leave us or forsake us, a love that can love us no less or no more! What joy it is that Yahweh is our Lord and Savior!
Attending this school of life as believers, we realize we will never graduate until RIP or rapture. In the meantime, we really need to be about learning the Word, loving the Word, and living the Word. Apart from that there is no other way to know and understand God and see the world around us as He does. Nobody arrives or can truthfully say, “I know enough.” It is best to avoid that fool. As long as we have breath, God has that purpose for us. The quest is not over until it’s over or whenever that lady sings whoever she is!
I like this statement by Miguel de Cervantes’ Don Quixote of La Mancha, “Until death it is all life.” Some are waiting to die while others are living life with a purpose. Jesus came “that we might have life and have it abundantly” (Jn 10:10b); there is no age or situational limitation. Many people claim to be under the Word but in reality, they are not in it! This quest is for all of us (Jer 9:24) as long as we have breath.
Attending this school of life as believers, we realize we will never graduate until RIP or rapture. In the meantime, we really need to be about learning the Word, loving the Word, and living the Word. Apart from that there is no other way to know and understand God and see the world around us as He does. Nobody arrives or can truthfully say, “I know enough.” It is best to avoid that fool. As long as we have breath, God has that purpose for us. The quest is not over until it’s over or whenever that lady sings whoever she is!
I like this statement by Miguel de Cervantes’ Don Quixote of La Mancha, “Until death it is all life.” Some are waiting to die while others are living life with a purpose. Jesus came “that we might have life and have it abundantly” (Jn 10:10b); there is no age or situational limitation. Many people claim to be under the Word but in reality, they are not in it! This quest is for all of us (Jer 9:24) as long as we have breath.
When my dear friend Dr. Michael
Womack’s mother attended his Bible study, she had only six months or less to
live. She was still taking notes while most of those in attendance scribbled
nothing! God gave me the wonderful privilege of seeing an old saint’s quest
coming to an end but still going at it! She died on time but left me a vision of her
legacy without even knowing it! It was a God-thing. Until death, it is all about living for Jesus, my
quest, your quest, our quest who know Him. <><
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