JANUARY 21 "ENOUGH RELIGION TO DRIVE YOU CRAZY"

     Sometimes I wonder who is more miserable, the atheist or the rebellious, religious person. I will choose the rebellious religious person over the atheist any day!  In our reading today we read about the brothers of Joseph still tormented in their minds for the sin they committed against their brother.  Everything negative that happens in their lives is attributed to "God getting them back". This is how the religious person lives, they know enough religion to drive them crazy. They know enough to realize that they are not living right and because of that, everything negative that happens is of course God getting them back. At least the Atheist convinces himself (or tries) that there is no God and therefore bad events in life are either bad luck, bad karma or just life. If Joseph was 13 when he was sold into slavery by his brothers and now Joseph is 30 yrs old ruling in Egypt, that is 17 yrs (is my math right???) since their great sin. Imagine 17 yrs of every time something has gone wrong, feeling like it is God getting even. Some people know enough about God to drive them crazy. Even in the reading for the New Testament (Mtw 13:47 - 14:12) we read about Herod who is haunted by what he did to John the Baptist, so much so that he says Jesus is John the Baptist risen from the dead. This is an absurd thought, unless you're a religious man with a tormented conscience, then it makes perfect sense! I remember many times as a sinner blaming bad predicaments on God. I always felt like God's hand was against me, and rightly so, I had enough religion, even as a Catholic, to drive me crazy. How great was the peace that came when I simply got right with God and confessed my sins and began to live right! Now when something goes wrong in my life or I am faced with a bad predicament no longer do I look to Heaven and shake my fist, but I look to Heaven for help and guidance. That makes all the difference in the world! If you're not right with God today, perhaps this is your lot right now, you have to wonder every time things go wrong.."is this God getting even with me?" what a miserable way to live, get right with God today; otherwise, you have just enough religion, to drive you crazy for the rest of your life.
    

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