Dale Cresap's blog

Do you have hope? When you express hope, is it usually for a desired outcome, that your car will start, that you will pass a test, that the weather will favor your intentions? But not everything you hoped for turns out the way you desired. Can you still have hope in a more universal and transcendent sense? Can you have hope in a way that doesn’t depend on particular outcomes? Transcendent hope is based on the premise that I am good, that I watch over your life and am involved in it. If you know this you can have hope in an ultimate sense, that isn’t dependent on particular events.

Do you live in a Christian nation? You are fortunate if you live in a country that is governed by the rule of law by the consent of the people, that respects civil rights and has a system of justice, that strives to secure and respect personal freedoms even if these things are done imperfectly. But it is not reasonable to expect your government to sponsor your faith journey. That is a journey that only you can commit to, and no government can make it happen even if it is benevolent, or thwart it even if it is hostile. I am your companion and guide on this journey.

How do you see yourself? Have you crafted an identity that you present to the world, the total of your hobbies and interests and education and profession and national origin, among others? But you are more than the sum of these things. I gave you a perfectly good identity that is intrinsic in your being; you don’t need to make one out of spare parts. Be careful how you define yourself, for the identity that you craft is one of distinctions that can leave you isolated from those who do not share them.

Can you afford ice cream and cookies? Your kids love these things, and they are readily available. You can probably afford more of them than you, or your children should eat. Do children think they are being deprived if their parents limit their access to these things and regard them as special treats? Yet wise parents will do so. Do you think you are getting your fair share of blessings? Can you see how the same arguments apply? Don’t think that I have a limited budget from which to bless you.

Do you have a sense of belonging? Is it attached to a narrowly defined group of people with a common belief or interest or characteristic? You may think of tribes as groups of primitive people, but the human desire to identify and belong exists in every person. Does your sense of belonging with some people leave you alienated and isolated from others? Can you see this effect as clearly in your group as you see it in others? Have you ever had an experience of belonging that wasn’t limited to a narrowly defined group, but rather belonging to the universe and eternity and humanity?

Have you noticed a new emphasis on core strength? This is an important aspect of fitness. Have you noticed that everyone has a particular area of emphasis in their life? Based on education and even more so experience they have become an expert on that subject. Have you seen that this is true in the people you meet, even apart from academic credentials? In my body are many members and like the organs in your body each serves a unique purpose. Each is necessary and all should be honored and respected for what they contribute.

Do you believe in mercy and justice? Which do you think is more important? Can you see that it is difficult to have both at the same time? Do you find that people tend to lean toward one or the other? Those who prefer justice should have a high regard for the principles of justice. This would include a uniform standard applied to every person. But have you seen judgmental people who are eager to excuse their friends and condemn their enemies by holding them to different standards? So it is difficult to hold mercy and justice at the same time, but it is really easy to hold neither one.

Do you desire to acquire as much information and knowledge as possible? Inquisitive curiosity is a good trait. Are you willing to change according to what you find? This is a more difficult step, and not as many take it. Is it beneficial for you to eat your vegetables? It is one thing to know that they are good for you and another to have them for lunch or dinner. No degree of knowledge about their nutritional value will help you if you don’t eat them. This is obvious, but can you extend the principle to other areas of truth? Question all things, and embrace that which is good.

Do you tell everything to everyone? Only a fool utters all his mind. Yet you do need people in your life in whom you can confide; to whom you can tell everything. This is a human necessity. Otherwise your secrets will eat you from the inside out. You have experienced the release of verbally sharing your burden with someone else. Yet you are selective in whom you choose to do this with. What criteria do you use for selection? Does it have to be someone you have known for a long time? You can unburden yourself to a stranger if you sense trust, interest, compassion and empathy.

Would you say that you know me? Scientists use the idea of a conceptual model to describe their current understanding of phenomena. These models can be improved by further investigation. So is your knowledge of me comprehensive? It is okay with me if you think of your current understanding of me as a conceptual model. Has your comprehension of me grown with time? Hopefully so. I want to show you more about myself. Are you prepared to receive greater revelation of me? Are you prepared to let go of misunderstandings that you have acquired about me?