Rev. Dan Polecheck - Universal Life Church Ministries - Older Blog Posts - Does God Have An Ego?

Before I started this blog I was writing for a blog on the Family Worship Center - Algoma Campus website. This is a copy of one of those posts with links to the original blog.

Does God Have An Ego?
Originally Posted Apr 25, 2020
Original Blog Post

“Let’s face it; God has a big ego problem. Why do we always have to worship him? In all the religious books I have read God proclaims himself as a super being, wanting the whole world to lick his boots. God seems to have a big ego... who does he think he is!”

These are just some of the comments that screamed at me as I browsed questions about God and his existence on the internet. There appears to be a strong school of thought among several atheists and the non-religious who believe Christians have created a God of their own making... with a mega ego.

We have the story of the Babylonian King, Nebuchadnezzar, about 606 BC, whose super ego was personified in his declaration... as he stood on the rooftop of his magnificent palace; “Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power, and for the glory of my majesty?” (Daniel 4:30). God soon brought him down to earth through the fulfillment of a dream which resulted in Nebuchadnezzar being reduced to a mad animal-like being that ate grass for seven years. His hair grew like the feathers of an eagle and his nails became like the claws of a bird during this time.

God wanted the king to learn and understand that the Most High allows whomsoever he pleases to rule in the kingdoms of the earth. Nebuchadnezzar was completely transformed through this period of humiliation to the point where he not only came to appreciate and sincerely acknowledge the sovereignty of the true God, but also insisted that all his subjects bow down to the God of Israel.

In essence, God revealed his supremacy as the majestic God of the heavens who carries the ultimate authority over all the kingdoms of humankind. However, many will argue that this speaks even more strongly of an egocentric God, who demands adoration, obedience and worship.

Is God Concerned And Preoccupied With Himself?

Let’s take a moment to examine what egocentric means. It has its beginnings in the ‘id, ego and superego model of the mind’ developed by Sigmund Freud, known as the father of psychoanalysis and one of the most influential thinkers of the early twentieth century. Various dictionaries, including the Dictionary of Psychology by J.P. Chaplin sitting on my bookshelf, essentially define egocentric as ‘concerned and preoccupied with the self, self centered, selfish, and the noun... a self centered person or egotist.’

Yet, the proclivity of human beings to create gods of their own making through the aeons of time is clearly evidenced in the pages of ancient and modern literature. Pagan worship of a plethora of gods and the crafting of idols after such gods has threaded its way into the very fabric of civilizations throughout history, and continues to this day.

Should we not therefore deem it appropriate for our Father to powerfully and spectacularly command the attention of humankind to the reality that there is only one Sovereign God who created the vast and magnificent splendor of the universe? And in so doing, God created the space for people to enter into the loving embrace of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

The Apostle John’s aptly describes the essence of who God is in 1 John 4:16, 9-10: “God is love... This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him... he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” We also note in 1 John 3:16 “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.” And in John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son that whoever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” God sent his Son to die for you so you can live and receive the gift of eternal life.

The absence of ego and the presence of a deep abiding sacrificial love are clearly demonstrated in Philippians 2:6-8 “Who [Jesus], being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death - even the death on the cross.” Think for a moment about the depth of Jesus’ sacrifice. How he emptied himself and became sin incarnate for you.

Here we find the antithesis of egocentricity... as far as the East is from the West. The very thought of an egocentric God evaporates as we gasp in amazement at the wonder of His unfathomable love. Indeed, God is about healing your human brokenness (egocentric nature) in a fallen world and giving you refreshing newness of hope and vitality in Christ.

Become A Whole New Person

The Apostle Paul explains in 2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: the old has gone, the new is here.” He adds in Ephesians 4:22-24 “...put off your old self (ego) which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires... to be made new in the attitudes of your minds and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” The astounding truth is that God through Jesus and the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit inspires you to let go of your old self (ego) and become a whole new person in him.

Herein lies our awe-inspiring potential in Christ, leading to a relationship that will enable you to become more fully yourself as you blossom into the person you were created to be. The pages of the Bible are filled with the good news of the indescribable opportunity you have been given, to grow to your full potential in the presence of his divine embrace, now and for all eternity.

In the book entitled Jesus Manifesto by Leonard Sweet and Frank Viola we read; “Knowing Christ as your “rest” and allowing him to live his life through you is one of the most freeing things you can know as a Christian. Resting in Christ doesn’t mean being passive. It means allowing the Lord to do the heavy lifting.”

True worship embodies a wholehearted relationship with the Triune God... living in the presence of the Lord and creating the room for him to flow continuously, powerfully and deeply in your hearts, each and every day; in everything you do whether it be in song, praise, thanksgiving, adoration, respect, devotion, prayer, meditation, relationships or your work. This is very unlike the blind subservience and fear-filled worship of an egotist such as Nebuchadnezzar and the gigantic 90 foot high and 9 foot wide gold image he erected to himself, before he was humbled under the Almighty hand of God.

Contemporary psychologists Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung gave a fitting description of human nature in the egocentric model, which is generally in keeping with the state of the human mind as a result of the fall of humankind. What a stark contrast to the selflessness of the Triune God who “is love.” God is the personification of love, who died so you can enter into a faith-filled, dynamic, life-giving eternal relationship with Him.

Rev. Dan Polecheck - Universal Life Church Ministries - Older Blog Posts - Twinkies and Root Beer

Before I started this blog I was writing for a blog on the Family Worship Center - Algoma Campus website. This is a copy of one of those posts with links to the original blog.

Twinkies and Root Beer
Originally Posted Apr 23, 2020
Original Blog Post

A little boy wanted to meet God. He knew it was a long trip to where God lived, so he packed his suitcase with Twinkies and a six-pack of Root Beer and he started his journey.

When he had gone about three blocks, he met an elderly man. The man was sitting in the park just feeding some pigeons.

The boy sat down next to him and opened his suitcase. He was about to take a drink from his root beer when he noticed that the man looked hungry, so he offered him a Twinkie.

The man gratefully accepted it and smiled at boy. His smile was so pleasant that the boy wanted to see it again, so he offered him a root beer.

Again, the man smiled at him. The boy was delighted! They sat there all afternoon eating and smiling, but they never said a word.

As it grew dark, the boy realized how tired he was and he got up to leave, but before he had gone more than a few steps, he turned around, ran back to the man, and gave him a hug. The man gave him his biggest smile ever.

When the boy opened the door to his own house a short time later, his mother was surprised by the look of joy on his face. She asked him, "What did you do today that made you so happy?"

He replied, "I had lunch with God." But before his mother could respond, he added, "You know what? God's got the most beautiful smile I've ever seen!"

Meanwhile, the elderly man, also radiant with joy, returned to his home. His son was stunned by the look of peace on his face and he asked," Dad, what did you do today that made you so happy?"

He replied, "I ate Twinkies in the park with God." However, before his son responded, he added," You know, he's much younger than I expected."

Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around. People come into our lives for a reason, a season, or a lifetime.

Reprinted from Sweet Song Ministries

Rev. Dan Polecheck - Universal Life Church Ministries - Older Blog Posts - One Day I Decided To Quit

Before I started this blog I was writing for a blog on the Family Worship Center - Algoma Campus website. This is a copy of one of those posts with links to the original blog.

One Day I Decided To Quit
Originally Posted Apr 23, 2020
Original Blog Post

One day I decided to quit…
I quit my job, my relationship, my spirituality…I wanted to quit my life. I went to the woods to have one last talk with God.

“God,” I asked, “Can you give me one good reason not to quit?”

His answer surprised me…

“Look around,” He said, “Do you see the fern and the bamboo?”

“Yes,” I replied.

“When I planted the fern and the bamboo seed I took very good care of them. I gave them light. I gave them water. The fern grew quickly from the earth. It’s brilliant green covered the ground. Yet nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo. In the second year, the Fern grew more vibrant and plentiful. And again, nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the Bamboo.”

He continued, “In year three there was still nothing for the bamboo seed. But I would not quit. In the fourth year, again, there was nothing from the bamboo seed. I will not quit.” He said. “Then in the fifth year a tiny sprout emerged from the earth. It looked small and insignificant compared to the fern… but only six months later, the bamboo rose to over 100 feet tall.”

“It had spent five years growing roots. Those roots made it strong and gave it what it need to survive. I would not give any of my creations, a challenge it could not handle”

He said to me, “Did you know, my child, that all this time you have been struggling, you have actually been growing roots? I would not quit on the bamboo. I will never quit on you. Don’t compare yourself to others…”

He said, “The bamboo had a different purpose than the fern… Yet, they both make the forest beautiful.”

“Your time will come,” God said to me, “You will rise high!”

“How high should I rise?” I asked.

“How high will the bamboo rise?” He asked in return.

“As high as it can?” I questioned.

“Yes.” He said, “Give Me glory by rising as high as you can.”

I hope these words can help you see that God will never give up on you.
Never regret a day in your life.
Good days give you happiness.
Bad days give you experiences.
Both are essential to life.
He will never give up on you.

A happy and meaningful life requires our continuous input and creativity. It is not a coincidence. It happens because of our decisions and actions. And every day we are given new opportunities to choose and act and, in doing so, we created out own unique journey. Keep going… don’t give up!

Happiness keeps you sweet,
Trials keep you strong,
Sorrows keep you human,
Failures keep you humble,
Success keeps you glowing,
But ONLY GOD keeps you going!