I want to write something today. Yet I don't have any great ideas.
I'll just share what's on my mind today. I don't know that it has a real link to The Well Project except that it appears to me that whatever God is doing in our hearts here...it is all somehow connected to the greater good of his kingdom. Africa, Oregon, New York, or China.
I have been reading a book recently that has changed my way of looking at church and community. I have long time been of the belief that church happens less in a building than it does in real life...walking your dog, having coffee with a neighbor, talking to the check-out lady at the grocery, or connecting with a long lost friend on Facebook. The kingdom that the Bible talks about seems to be all around us, just veiled a bit.
Back to the book. There was a paragraph that spoke to me. I'm going to paraphrase a bit.
So many times we try to figure out what we are supposed to "do" to be followers of Jesus. Spiritual disciplines, service, fellowship...or any other buzz word you want to insert. What if, instead, we focused our time and efforts on connecting intimately with Jesus? Not worrying about anything but soaking in His love?
I can hear the criticism already... That would be self-serving. That would be sticking our heads in the sand. You have to have the disciplines to experience God. And many others.
I disagree.
I have a feeling that if we were so consumed, overwhelmed, and enraptured with the love God has for us...our life in Him would pour out of us. Our love would be so true and unforced that we wouldn't have to try to love. We would love without thinking. Our frustrations with the people around us would be burnt up with the holiness that the love of Jesus provides. I think all the other buzz words I mentioned would come into alignment at the right time and in the right way if our hearts were set on Him.
That is what is banging around in my head today. I'm asking God to expand this in my heart and life. I hope it is of some value to your journey.
And for the record...I am not anti-organized church. I just believe it is part of the pathway we live with Jesus, not the crux of it...
I love your comments. Please share your thoughts.
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Yeah... to live in the realization and the warmth of being loved... I have to remember to relax and just BE.
ReplyDeleteThe cool thing about being so loved is that we are formed to be conduits... the love that we receive cannot help but spill out. I think there is a cyclical nature to our ability to receive love, and sometimes being a reservoir of love... a conduit with the end stopped up... seems to be the right thing... but ultimately, we were made to be conduits, and if the end doesn't open, the pressure will build.
I've found that I often SEE the reflection of the love of Christ as it is passing through me to others.
Where I really struggle... when I confront my need to feel loved, and it seems empty... I struggle not to try to force it, like you're saying Jill, the unforced rhythm... like you were saying "loving without thinking"
I think the issues I face with God are similar to the issues I face relationally with Shelley... Shelley's love surprises me, and I feel it when I'm not expecting it... yet there are times when I feel the need to feel loved, and it just isn't happening... and amid a myriad of dysfunctional options, the best is to simply be open with her about my need.
I think my relationship with God is similar in this. All that I attempt to do to become a better conduit fails, and when I relax and just BE the conduit I was made to be, it all happens. What passes through me sustains me as well.
-vern-
Jill,
ReplyDeleteYou took the words out of my heart.. “I have long time been of the belief that church happens less in a building than it does in real life...walking your dog, having coffee with a neighbor, talking to the check-out lady at the grocery, or connecting with a long lost friend on Facebook. The kingdom that the Bible talks about seems to be all around us, just veiled a bit.”
Thanks for lifting the veil a bit for us!
Vern..."What passes through me sustains me as well." Wow. I am going to have to breathe that in for awhile. I think that is profound.
ReplyDeleteI like how you correlate your need in relationship with Shelley to your need in relationship with God. And being open about that need in both cases...it must be there that we start. Open about the need. Dang. I probably need to put that into practice in several arena's.
I always love how you think and express your heart.