Using the Pathway to Seek God

The search for God and his will in our lives is not always an easy thing.  There seems to be no shortage of people to tell us their opinions on this topic, and their ideas differ widely.

Some see God as high on a throne, far from them and out of touch with their daily lives.  They believe ancestors have a greater understanding and appreciation for their family problems and for the concerns of their particular area.  Some believe ancestors approach God on behalf of their families.  In this view, the Creator is too important and too distant to care about individuals personally. 

Others see God as a lawmaker and great policeman.  He communicates his law in the Bible or the Quran or the traditions of their people.  Then he waits for people to make a mistake so he can punish them.  Rather than good news, this view emphasizes the bad news to instill guilt and fear.  It amazes me how many people flock to hear preachers who feed them a steady diet of how terrible they are and how God wants to fry them! 

A growing number of people see God as just the opposite, an excessively lenient grandfather, who only wants to spoil them by granting everything they desire.  No matter how they live, no matter how they treat others, no matter how they fail to honor him, they expect him to grant them miracles of good health and abundant wealth through the power of some holy person. 

I don’t agree with any of these views of God.  Do you?  Write me and tell me what you have learned about God and his will for you.  How can we know who God is, what he expects of us and what he plans for us?  I may share your ideas in my next homepage article on this subject.  We want the African Pathways website to be a pathway to God and his will for those who are seeking him.