I've have learned through allot of life experience, traveling the world, being in war zones, you name it. Worked for many different organizations. But there is one thing that I've discovered. I've never found the grass to be greener on the other side. Have you?
I mean sometimes we do need a change but the change is not going to help us leave behind what probably troubles us the most. YOU. I know that has been the case with me. I try to go to greener grass but I just keep following myself.
That is why there is also danger in a movement where people are talking about change. We must always ask questions like "why are you asking about change". "Why do you want change"? "What is it you're really looking for"?
Sure the church has problems, but we could totally re-invent a new church & it might not really change anything. Why? Because of us.
We could change all the theology that seems wrong or unbiblical or ungodly or unloving but in the end we still have to face ourselves in the mirror everyday.
Often I find when I'm around people that would consider themselves progressive christians or emergent that they are asking great questions but I fear at times it might be for the wrong reasons.
Liberals & Conservatives can be the same. Holding on to their extremes just because.
My point in this post is really JESUS. He said if we seek we would find. I think true seekers will find truth all over the place. I think it will be artistic, traditional, modern, liturgical, unplanned, and the best adventure we have ever been on.
But we have to make sure, no matter where we are at, that we are seeking Jesus & not just trying to step up to the religious smorgasbord & take whatever pleases us. If God turns out to be mean what the hell can we do about that? Even if he is we'd be stupid not to bow down to him. He could crush us. God is who God is. We always seem to be approaching him for a relationship but we already know what he is like. That would be like my wife saying I love Duke Basketball. And I reply no you don't. The wife I know does not like Duke. She is like standing there saying, but I do :-) no matter what you believe.
We have to make sure our pre-conceived ideas of God don't cloud our seeking. We also have to make sure our frustrations with any current theology or church doesn't make us go looking for something that looks greener but might not be.
I am a seeker. I love Jesus. I am progressive. I am pentecostal (thought my definition is probably unique to me). I am a follower of Jesus. But as I seek & as I journey together with the Holy Spirit and with others truth constantly unveils itself. Sometimes in ways I would never imagine. AND if anyone tells you that they agree with everything about God and with everything he thinks then run fast :-) I mean I have things I learn sometimes that I say to God, man that isn't the way I would have done it. That is the way a relationship works. You learn about each other, you sharpen each other & you grow. There are some things that I'm sure are true & I'm just like, God, I know that but because of my upbringing as an American that bothers me. There are other things that I have been sold by others as well that because of my upbringing I'm sure that is what God thinks or is like AND then I find out they are wrong.
Being a seeker is not easy but at least comes with a promise of finding!! If Jesus is truly what we are looking for we will find him. And I'm quite sure we'll get all the same debates & controversy that he got.
We have to be willing to really have a relationship with God. One that holds beliefs loosely. One that is open. Our view of God could be wrong. Others view could be wrong. God could be saying something totally different than we thought. I would be impossible for people & cultures for 2000 years to all be right when they have all been so different. So relate to God, talk to God, be honest with God about your feelings! Learn & grow as you seek. There is something a seeker can learn almost everyday, from anybody.
I love the Emergent movement & I love being progressive but I'm NOT just doing it to do it & I want people to know it. I'm seeking Jesus & this is where my seeking him & only him has led me. I'm NOT looking for a grass to be greener I'm looking to know Jesus & the power of his resurrection. All I can say is I've never seen more growth & more revelation from the Holy Spirit & I have never been MORE able to say no to sin since I've began the journey down the Emergent path. I'm telling you this freedom is amazing. This complete freedom from all Fundamentalism & all legalism has brought me to a place where my motivation isn't to not sin but to walk with Jesus. Its been insane to start living inside out instead of all those years I lived outside in. If the proof is in the pudding then the fact that my greatly increased overcoming of sin is proof enough for me that this seeker is finding the only one that could possibly help us overcome. You can't overcome on your own.
Outer transformation has its ups & downs. Inner transformation is just out of this world.
So there you have it. I'm not trying to be cool or relevant. If you heard me preach you'd know that. I'm trying to continue on this spiritual path with Jesus for the right reasons and with the right motivation coming from the right spot ..... inside from the Holy Spirit.
Its hard for people to accept the fact that there may be 20 denominations that God can equally work thru who have different strengths & weaknesses. There may be even other faiths that God can work through. Who says we have the corner on the market to methodology? Don't get me wrong, I don't think there are many ways to God, but I do think there are many ways to Jesus, even sometimes when people don't know his name. We want it all to be figured out. All black & white. We want to find the best way. The best rules. The best church. The best denomination. I'm not sure God has ever seen things from this perspective that we often embrace. What if its not about being the most right or in the best place ...... what if it is really just about Jesus. Loving God with all your heart & loving your neighbor as yourself. What if allot of things we think are so important are just side issues. I am just going to keep fixing my eyes on Jesus, the author & perfecter of my faith. Right, wrong & best isn't going to have anything to do with getting us into heaven. Jesus is the only way!
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