Questions

I have so many questions - questions I have been thinking on for a long time. This could be a ten page post if I had the time and energy right now to transfer it all from my mind to this blog, but since I don't it will be pretty short. I'm sure you're glad to hear that...all two of you ;)

So, what I am going to do is make a list of the biggies and then maybe try and tackle them one at a time. And I may not ever fully know the answers to some.

1. What is the ultimate purpose of reaching out and ministering to our broken world? Is it just to relieve suffering here and now?
2. What should the purpose of our church services be? Should they be primarily evangelical?
3. God clearly values human life because He made us in His image (see Gen. 9:6), but what exactly does that mean? What's He really saying and what are the implications?
4. How can I be relevant to the culture without being fully immersed in it...without conforming to it? How do I love people where they are, but uphold a righteous standard? Or am I just legalistic, as some have said? How do you represent a God that is both loving and righteous and do it with integrity?
5. When it comes to my personal healing - emotional, physical, or whatever - is it just for my benefit or is there a higher purpose? Or is it both? Does He just want me to feel better or is there more to it?
6. Has our worship become self-worship? For example, was the joy set before Jesus me, or was it heaven? Was it really because He "saw my face," or was it that He longed to see His Father's face again? Was it that He was obedient unto death and was about to hear "well done good and faithful servant?" Do I love Him because He does things for me? If it seems He hasn't "done anything for me lately," do I lose my affection?

I may have to come back and add to this list but for now these are the big questions on my mind. I'd love to hear any comments on them.

Kind of an abrupt ending I guess, but I am dog tired. Dave made me go to the gym with him today because he said I need exercise to have more energy. Why have I been so tired all day then ;) He's probably right but my knees are killing me and I'm whooped, so it didn't work yet.