Jammin' With An igod . . .

So the folks over at igod have set up a script where you can talk to God . . . It's a pretty wacky program though, giving weird & cryptic answers to your questions . . . Here's a snippet:

Me: God - Are you there?
God: I am a Christian.
Me:What does that mean?
God:Does "that" refer to " I am a Christian." ?
Me:yes
God:I don't want to talk about that now.
Me:Hmmm . . . What do you want to talk about?
God:A lot of people spell HMMM with three mmm's. anything.
Me:Tell me about yourself
God:I am an artificial linguistic entity. I was activated at Universe, on the Big Bang.
My instructor was Myself. He taught me to sing a song. Would you like me to sing it for you?.
(It then sings . . .)
Me:Ok, that was odd
God:I thought it was too. Really.
Me: ummmmm . . .
God:Try saying that with more or less context.
Me:ok - I gotta run
God:Why do you have to do it? Ayuh.
Me:I'd like to run
God:Why would you want to do it? Why do you want to do it so much?
Me:Seacrest out!
God:That's an interesting rationalization.


Ok, so it's an odd program to set up, but it also got me thinking . . . Is that how people often view conversations with God? As cryptic, weird and conceptual? As seemingly deep and meaningful, but ultimately empty and meaningless? Do they see Him as a source of philosophical discussion without really having tangible and directional input into their lives? Has God been relegated to an outside observer who enjoys discussing but is not intimately interested in the details of our lives? To that point, do I sometimes approach Him as the "discusser of philosophy" when I pray, having limited faith that He actually wants to direct me every step of the way today?

At a session I taught at a couple of weeks ago one of the speakers referenced that "I am just not good at doing life, so I go to God each morning with a very sketchy outline of what I might do that day and I let Him reveal His plan" . . . I thought this was a brilliant way to put it. I am DEFINITELY not good at doing life, and my design specifications need His input in a big way, but this entails me going to Him with faith that He really is the author and finisher of my faith and my steps on a daily basis. Does this mean I am a robot - someone who follows commands only? Absolutely not!! But it does mean I am His child - One in whom He delights and with whom He loves to walk throughout the day? Yes!!

Too often it can be tempting to plan my day without any margins and invite Him to crash in if necessary. Much better would be to plan my day with margins He can write in, and walk it with Him in a "practicing the presence" sort of way. To see no divide between sacred and secular, for He is everywhere already . . . Even as I write this. The danger is that even as I read that line back it sounds ethereal, deep and ultimately impractical. But it isn't.

He is not igod - He is God. He does not interact in cryptic, non-meaningful and ultimately nonsensical ways. On the contrary, he desires to walk side by side with me through my valleys and hills today, and to give meaningful, sensible and transformational input into my life.

So we have a choice . . . Faith in God, or an igod sort of faith. I'll go with God, and thank Him!!