I find myself
continuously caught between the threshold of this world and the Kingdom of God. I see so many people who simply use Christ and his gospel as some analgesic effect, wanting to engage and change this world but when push comes to shove words hardly become action.
Allow me to take this time to confess that I too am guilty of this motionless rhetoric. I find myself expressing a deep wanting to see this community and world change but end up indulging in apathy and vindication. The only way I have found to break this cycle is by starting in the small. It’s the small and subtlety of this life that makes it enjoyable. For example, I find so much enjoyment out of a good beer. Lately- a Mother Ship Wit (Mat Jenkins would argue this and say Sierra Nevada Summer Fest, but I would say rubbish). There is something about the simplicity of Life: A cold drink at the end of a hot day, a conversation with close friends, reconciling with old ones, a kiss with your lover, or an embrace from your child- It’s these moments that force me to my knees and accept that God has indeed met me.
So now I am left here to wonder many things. I have observed countless atrocities within the church, but it does not make me love her any less. I wonder how we can speak about going out into the world as ambassadors of the Kingdom yet neglect the very community in which we live. I ponder how we can concern ourselves with issues of social justice across the oceans yet fail to embrace the child in need standing right in front of us. I am left puzzled as to how we can blame our pastors and elders, our churches and small groups for not doing this, that and the other thing when the entire time it was our idleness, our languor and dispassion that left us with the void within our communities, that brought us to a place of consumerism, and even worse, brought us to a place of objectionable expectations. O Lord, forgive us for this and bring us out from these shadows we have cast.
it’s questions like these that and people like you that have caused Christianity to move forward and grow for thousands of years.
I believe it was Gandhi that said “Be the change you wish to see”. I think if we did these simple small acts of compassion in the moment, the world would be a different place.
Rick, Your an xian, that means you can’t quote Ghandi! AHH! LOL
I think it is easier to say we are going to do this, yet most of us will not. Its something i struggle with, its so hard for me to have the desire to build relationships. This has encouraged me to call the friend who is sick or just stop to talk to the person in need. Thanks Nate!
Hey Nut!
its encouraging to hear your heart. Thanks for your feed back.
Nate you have very effectively articulated the “rub” that mankind has had since we have hit terra firma. It reminds me of Paul’s frustration in Romans 7:
21So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. 24What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!
This battle of the natural vs. the spiritual is what we will all face until the completion of our faith. Fortunately through Christ’s love we can get over ourselves and allow the spirit of God to operate at maximum capacity in us.
Thanks Mat for the scripture. That actually has a lot to do with Pt. 2 of the “rub.” I thank you all for your insight and Kind words. God bless, and I will be seeing you guys out “there”