What Comes First, In Health Care, and Everything Else

Been talking some with a good friend of mine, David Baxley, about the whole health care debate. He and I see things differently, but what I like about David is that he tries to put his theology first, and then his politics. He tries to understand his God and then allow that relationship to shape his relationships with everything, and everyone else, including his politics.

I wonder, do you and I do the same, or are we first Conservative, or Progressive, a Man or a Women, a _________, whatever label you want to use, and only after that, a Christian, a Jesus follower?

Do we make God in our image or are we allowing him to shape us into his image. Do we read the Bible looking for those progresive verses, those conservative verses, or do we recognise the Bible for what it is, a story meant to help shape us into the image of Christ. Something meant to shape, not be shaped.

A Modern Day Psalm

In the Scriptures we see the one who is Other, the God who comes close to us in the person of Jesus Christ, longing to know us in a personal way, when he says, "O Jerusalem... how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing."

And ironically, we who are human have some similar longings. We see King David seemingly searching in vain for his God, saying, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning? O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, and am not silent."

Lady Antebellum bring this search home in their song, I Need You Now. Watch this video and in the midst of your inner longings, experience the God who longs for you.