We discussed some ideas of where God is. Is he in a fluffy cloud? Is he somewhere much nearer? We looked at the ideas of Paul Tillich and thought how that impacts on our prayer lives.
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Anonymous
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Can you give an outline (just a couple sentences) on these ideas?
Something I've been thinking about.
Had a discussion with a minister recently who thinks that heaven, and for that matter, the other place (at times), are different dimensions occupying the same physical space as ourselves. Could be a cross over in argument with God's general and manifest presence?
Gunkle - that's pretty much what we discussed and agreed on. I wanted to move people on from an idea of God being up in the clouds somewhere.
The follow on question is this: If God is everywhere, and therefore close-by, where do we mentally direct our prayers? There seems to be a tendency to disengage from our surroundings and aim our prayers upwards somehow. Maybe we should recognise God around us and engage with him there?
We discussed some ideas of where God is. Is he in a fluffy cloud? Is he somewhere much nearer? We looked at the ideas of Paul Tillich and thought how that impacts on our prayer lives.
6 comments:
Can you give an outline (just a couple sentences) on these ideas?
Something I've been thinking about.
Had a discussion with a minister recently who thinks that heaven, and for that matter, the other place (at times), are different dimensions occupying the same physical space as ourselves. Could be a cross over in argument with God's general and manifest presence?
Interesting.
It is an interesting idea, and I'd probably go along with it I think. I like the idea of God's 'realm' overlapping and enfolding our three dimensions.
Have you read Flatland? It's an old book, now available free online as it's past copyright at http://xahlee.org/flatland/index.html
It explains in a very simple way how extra dimensions could work.
Q: Where exactly is God?
A: Everywhere
God is Spirit and so inhabits all places all the time. Hence he is "omnipresent."
Let me know if you need any Scriptures to support this... and my mate will grab his thick theological tomes and rattle them off!
Gunkle - that's pretty much what we discussed and agreed on. I wanted to move people on from an idea of God being up in the clouds somewhere.
The follow on question is this: If God is everywhere, and therefore close-by, where do we mentally direct our prayers? There seems to be a tendency to disengage from our surroundings and aim our prayers upwards somehow. Maybe we should recognise God around us and engage with him there?
Well, I think we must shut our eyes and direct our prayers to our Father in heaven (Matthew 6) through the Lord Jesus Christ.
You said earlier that "God inhabits all places all the time" - so does that mean that heaven is everywhere too?
And why do you have to shut your eyes, by the way?
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