Three in One

So I've been thinking. A lot. About a lot of things. About a lot more things than I've ever even bothered to think about before. And all of them pertain to my creator, my savior, my way to talk to God, and how all three of those things are simultaneously the same being, even thought they're all different.

Ever since I was figured out what the word Trinity meant, I've been trying to figure out what it is. I won't claim to have any better of an understanding of it than anyone else, but my thinkings have led to some interesting places, and I can think of no one better to share, discuss and argue with than you lot, whoever you actually are.

As kids, people use water, eggs, even apples, to attempt to explain to our little concrete thought driven brains how God, Jesus, and the Spirit can possibly be three people, but one person all at the same time. Basically it boils down to, God, Jesus and the Spirit hung out, God created the world, they hung out some more, God sent/became Jesus and lived here for a very brief time, they all hung out again, and now we have the Spirit. Three beings, all different phases of the same person. But if you actually look at what we mean when we say three persons in one, that can't be true.

Because even as God was creating the world, he was the Spirit that calls to us, and even as Christ was among us he was the creator of everything, and even though his body is gone, Christ still compels us through the power of the Spirit. Three beings. One person.

I love movies. They're pretty much my favorite thing other than God/Jesus/Spirit. And I hold a special place in my heart for movies where actors play characters playing characters. The most obvious example I can give are movies like Freaky Friday. (I've only seen the remake, so Lindsey Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis are my references for that film, but I promise this will still work.) When the characters LL and JLC play switch bodies, the actors have to playing the opposing character who is in turn trying to act like the character they were playing in the first place. Whenever I see movies like this I inevitably have a moment where I realize this, and suddenly I have to shift my entire brain back to who the actors are supposed to be portraying, not the character they are acting like because they've switched bodies. (Have I confused you all yet?)

I came to the conclusion that the Trinity is the same way. Except I don't want to reorient my thinking to how it was before, because the thoughts that come out of such a massive mindshift are amazing.

To full explain I need to take you back to my previous post and my conversation with Dani. We had been discussing the Old Testament, and my inability to reconcile the God of destruction I found there with the Savior of the World. Which is especially tricky with the Trinity, because then not only is God the same God in the New and Old Testament, but Jesus is too. And Dani asked me a really good question. What if the God that created the world, whose voice cause earthquakes, lightning, thunder, hail, fire, and destruction, whose presence it would seem the earth can not physically cope with, had, from the very beginning planned to come see Creation for himself?

I imagine it must have been a little like an ant farm. God created us, called us good, connected with us, and then gave us what he had created. And then he had to step back. Because we had gained too much knowledge. Because we found out that God is too big for us to comprehend. Because we didn't listen and so caused distance that God never wanted. So God waited. And he kept watch. And he did what he could to show us the way. And he spoke to us in the few ways we could still hear him. And he waited. And he waited. And he waited. And finally we knew enough about who and what he was that at least some of us would recognize him if we saw him on the street.

And then he showed up.

I spent all last Advent season trying to figure out why I wasn't as excited by the idea of the incarnation as other people on staff at our church. It was like I had some big mental block. I understood that Jesus had become flesh, but I wasn't amazed. Because I didn't actually understand. Not even a little.

Like a child getting to step into their picture, or an artist into his painting, or an author into her novel, God entered his creation fully for the first time. He was no longer just the almighty creator, he was a part of his creation, truly and in every sense of the word. God came here. Here. In person. And God taught us what it means to be his people. And he made friends. And did wonders. And told off the religious leaders. And was whipped half to death. And was tortured til he died.

God. Died. At least in corporeal form. And he did it so that every person on this planet might live. God laid down his life for his friends. God forgave Peter his denial, and the criminal next to him on the cross, and me my pride and arrogance, and you whatever it is you've done to distance yourself from him. And he did willingly. On purpose.

God and Jesus are the same person. The same being. The being that created everything from nothing IS the man who's act of love and endless grace holds me up when I'm too tired to stand. My almighty father is not a faceless, emotionless entity who checks my prayers off the list when he's answered them like an all knowing Santa Clause. He's a man. But he's more than that too. Because he's still here. I still talk to him everyday. And he talks back. And he leads me and shows me the way and blows my mind with huge amazing thoughts.

If you're mind's not blown right now, then you're a lot smarter than me. Which is entirely possible. But if this is news to you, I hope you're share you're thoughts, because I want to know how other people feel about this.So,

Thoughts?