_

“No human eye has ever seen God: the only Son, who is in the Father’s bosom–He has made Him known.”

_

A late friend of mine had a word for much of what passes for preaching. He called it,  “birdwatching”.  According to birdwatching preachers and hearers, God is essentially a conundrum, a mystery to be discussed, a curiosity about whom little can concretely be said. Birdwatcher theology points off into the cosmos and says things like, ‘My, isn’t that interesting. Who knows? God could be this or God could be that. God is in everything. All religions are essentially the same.  No religion has a corner on Truth. ” You get the picture.

The Biblical witness is not so timid  – or spineless – where God is concerned. Every page of the Bible concerns itself with revelation, with making God known. In fact, the essential meaning of the Bible is this: God has spoken.

For those who genuinely seek God this ought to come as good news. Light has entered the darkness. God has expressed Himself in such a way as to be beyond all ambiguity. This revelation culminated in the coming of Jesus, the human face of God.  “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us…”. But it is precisely the concreteness of the revelation in Jesus that offends the generosity of our reason, which we use to keep God at arms length.  

My late friend went on to say that we should expect this from the world but when the preachers of the Church demonstrate this same offense it’s time for them to seek alternative forms of employment. Finally, he had a suggestion. Every pulpit should have a sign clearly visible to pastor and people which reads, ‘No Birdwatching Allowed”.

 “May the peace of God that passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

_