More than Inspiration

I turned to Ezekiel recently as I was reading in the Bible, looking for source material for a fiction writing project. Some would say I'm looking for inspiration in the Bible, as I'm contemplating writing something that incorporates my beliefs into fiction. If you go to Barnes & Noble, you'll see a whole slew of books based on Christian beliefs labeled "Christian Inspiration." I'm really looking for much more than inspiration, though. In the Bible, I find a living truth that brings me into community and keeps me grounded as a person, while at the same time lifting my thoughts above the ordinary realm of things, which is what I think of as inspiration. The passage I found in Ezekiel, which I went looking for, rather than stumbling upon, describes a vision of God (Chapter 1). It's a heavenly vision that is frightening or awe-inspiring as much as it is uplifting. The vision inspires reverence, or a bowed head, rather than raising up my self-image or making me want to be a better person. It establishes the idea that God is so different from us humans, even as he communicates Himself to us. Only He can say, "I am," and leave it at that. We humans have to add something to that statement: I am a father, a brother, a son, a student, a blogger. In reading the Bible, I confront the truth that I am miniscule, unimportant, yet able to communicate directly with the God of the Universe, whom so many people see as distant and unrelated to human events. My little "I am" means so little in the eternal view of things, yet my soul is eternal, even in God's eyes.

Compare that to human "inspiration." Oprah telling us to find our joy in what we do. Barack Obama claiming to be "a different kind of politician," whatever that means. How are we supposed to find inspiration in that? Not that these are bad ideas. Oprah really does make me want to be a better person when she speaks of giving back, and Barack Obama can be inspirational as a candidate for President of the United States. But that kind of inspiration falls short of the type of relationship I want to have with the Creator, where He is my reason for being and my Great Companion for the journey. Godly "inspiration" is so much more than an idea or a lifestyle, even. It's divine, rather than earthly. It's more Life than we humans can possibly comprehend. So I'm looking for more than inspiration in my reading of the Bible.