Theology Crash Course

We were driving down the road on our way back from my in-laws.  We had just had a fun couple days.  My wife and I had gone to a Paul McCartney concert in Madison and the kids had spent a day with Grandma and Grandpa.

As we drove down the road, Joshua and I were singing songs.  We had stopped singing as we got into Caledonia, Minnesota.  I saw a gas station but decided since the kids were still going to be awake when we got to Spring Grove, Minnesota that I'd wait a while to get gas.

It was a that moment that a woman was blinded by the sun.  I'm not sure if she didn't see us or if she didn't see us and the stop sign, but either way she came right at us.  I saw her car charging toward my van right at the door nearest Anna.  I stomped on the gas in an effort to keep the car from hitting at Anna's door.  As I stepped on the gas I thought for a moment that I had avoided the collision completely.  Unfortunately the car not only blew the stop sign but it turned left which kept it on a path toward us.

Crash.

The car struck us.  I held the steering wheel tightly as we came to a stop on the side of the road.  My wife and I didn't swear (which pleasantly surprised us) but we were visibly scared in those couple of seconds.

With the car now stopped I glanced back at the kids to see if anyone was hurt.  No one was.  I stepped out of the van to look at the damage.  The back driver side tire was punctured and the back fender was dragging.  Then I came to my wife's side of the van to recheck on them.

"Daddy, scared me!  Daddy, scared me," Joshua said.

"It's OK.  God took care of us," I replied.

"He's got the whole world in His hands," said Joshua holding out the palm of his hand.

"That's right, Buddy.  That theology will get you through a lot in life."  

I don't know if my son knew exactly what he was saying in that moment.  Perhaps he heard me talk of God and told me what we had just sang about before the crash.  But whatever it was, my son's answer after being scared was the right answer.  And yes, that theology will get someone through a lot in life.

When life seems to have run a stop sign and comes barreling into you there is a need for good theology.  Theology isn't just a class in seminary; theology is what we think about God.  Every person has a theology that he/she works under.  Having a right understanding of God will buoy you in the bad and good times of life.

Our God is good, He is omnipresent, He is omniscient, He is merciful, He is gracious, He is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, He is sovereign, He is holy, He is just, He is righteous, He is wise.  The thoughts we have about God are important.

"What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us." A. W. Tozer from The Knowledge of the Holy.  

"He's got you and me in His hands.  He's got you and me in His hands.  He's got everybody in His hands.  He's got the whole world in His hands."

Your theology will guide you.  Don't be scared by the word because it ends in an -logy.  Simply learn who our God is and begin to run your experiences and thoughts through the filter that knowledge creates.  Put your mind toward learning and thinking about God in at least one way today.