A glance into Alicia's mind....

Yes, I know that title sounds a bit scary. It sometimes scares me, too.

I thought I'd share with you a few thoughts I've been mulling over lately:

1) Many of the people who have called about the English studies have asked what "kind" of Christians the students are or which church their university is associated with. I've explained to a few people that the church of Christ/Gemeinde Christi is similar to the Baptist church in many ways, but I keep asking myself why there even ARE different churches. Why are there different "types" of Christians? I know, I know, there's 2,000 years-worth of church history filled with people parting ways over human (often petty) disagreements that can answer that question, but it still doesn't make sense to me. Scripture talks about Jesus building only one church, and if there's only one church, there should be only one "type" of Christian. Can't we all just get along and get back to the Bible and the business of winning souls for the Lord?

2) On Sunday while sharing his thoughts before the Lord's Supper, Wolfgang talked a bit about freedom and love, and I really liked what he said. While not verbatim, here's how he put it: "Love requires freedom. Without freedom, it can't be real love. That's why God HAD to give us free will. Otherwise we would just be robots or marionettes. But by giving us freedom to choose, God takes a risk that people might choose AGAINST Him."

God wants so badly for us to return the genuine love He showers upon us that He sent His son to die for me and for you even though we might decide not to accept Jesus' sacrifice. God paved the way to Him, fully knowing that some would select another path that would lead away from Him. I don't believe it is possible for anyone ever to do anything MORE SELFLESS than what God did through Jesus on the cross. God gave all of Himself while risking everything.

3) By sending Adam and Eve out of the Garden of Eden, God was protecting humans, not punishing them. Had they been allowed to remain in the Garden, they could have eaten from the Tree of Life and lived forever. Humans, though, weren't ready for eternal life at that point because it would have meant an eternity with a broken relationship with God due to the sin they'd committed. By expelling Adam and Eve and keeping them from eating from the Tree of Life, God allowed for the possibility of reunification one day through the blood of Christ. From the beginning God had a plan. How cool is that?

And now that my brain has been at least partially freed from its burdens, perhaps I can sleep. Süβe Träume....