Spiritual Schizophrenic
So, exactly what is it that brought us here? We walk into each day so willing to except any and all of “the latest news breaks” as gospel, but when it comes to the Gospel, we…somehow check out.
There are so many instructions and insights in scripture – to guide our lives – and yet we are as medicated a society as has ever been. We need direction, it is there, but we don’t take it. As we tell people, we serve an all powerful God who can divide rivers, walk on water, and heal the blind, but we freak out when we cut it close on the bills, or come down with a common cold. Does that not make you wonder if you really believe God is all powerful? Do you wonder why those who are not serving God question Him when this is what we show them?
While we could be living in a reality of beauty, grace, love, and glorious eternity, we choose to hold ourselves to the reality that’s presented in the latest “reality” series, evening news, or even in our homes. There is a reality that is beyond any of that. There is a God who cares, and there is a God who is more than capable of dealing with whatever reality He chooses to in whatever way He see’s is right.
I’m not talking about neglecting the world that is at our front door. God has given us very clear instructions about how we are to “love our neighbor as ourselves,” and we cannot very well do that if we are totally unaware of the current condition. But we need to be careful about who’s reality we are subscribing to..
Romans says, “for they that are after the Spirit do mind the things of the Spirit, but they that are after the flesh, the things of the flesh.” Perhaps we are caught up in this reality of the world because we have committed ourselves to “the flesh.” Maybe survival in this world has become more a priority than fulfilling our Spiritual call; the very thing we were created for.
This is not something new. Jesus was constantly having to remind the disciples that His messages and parables were Spiritual narratives, not sociological ones. At one point, Jesus even points directly to the fact that people will see and hear, but not grasp what is going on……I believe that is where we are today.
The Church unfortunately is not exempt. We believe that we are all set if we go to church consistently, pay our tithe, and come close to singing on pitch while the cheerleader – sorry, I meant Worship Leader – is pressing us ever closer to the presence of God. How is that different than what the Pharisee’s were except for the part where they new the scripture from beginning to end?
There are 2 distinct realities that are present in our lives, and we must choose which of those is going to drive our passions, motivations, and ultimately, our decisions. There is a beautiful world all around just waiting for us to step in. It will be painful, because as the Spirit lives, part of us dies. But we need to ask ourselves the question….is it worth it?
Are we ready to grasp everything that God has for us? The church needs a revival. A “getting back to basics” where we realize that love of God, and love of others is our 1 true reality; a place where our worship is passionate, our prayer is intimate and honest, and our lives are lived out with humility.
That, after all was the life of Jesus……
There are so many instructions and insights in scripture – to guide our lives – and yet we are as medicated a society as has ever been. We need direction, it is there, but we don’t take it. As we tell people, we serve an all powerful God who can divide rivers, walk on water, and heal the blind, but we freak out when we cut it close on the bills, or come down with a common cold. Does that not make you wonder if you really believe God is all powerful? Do you wonder why those who are not serving God question Him when this is what we show them?
While we could be living in a reality of beauty, grace, love, and glorious eternity, we choose to hold ourselves to the reality that’s presented in the latest “reality” series, evening news, or even in our homes. There is a reality that is beyond any of that. There is a God who cares, and there is a God who is more than capable of dealing with whatever reality He chooses to in whatever way He see’s is right.
I’m not talking about neglecting the world that is at our front door. God has given us very clear instructions about how we are to “love our neighbor as ourselves,” and we cannot very well do that if we are totally unaware of the current condition. But we need to be careful about who’s reality we are subscribing to..
Romans says, “for they that are after the Spirit do mind the things of the Spirit, but they that are after the flesh, the things of the flesh.” Perhaps we are caught up in this reality of the world because we have committed ourselves to “the flesh.” Maybe survival in this world has become more a priority than fulfilling our Spiritual call; the very thing we were created for.
This is not something new. Jesus was constantly having to remind the disciples that His messages and parables were Spiritual narratives, not sociological ones. At one point, Jesus even points directly to the fact that people will see and hear, but not grasp what is going on……I believe that is where we are today.
The Church unfortunately is not exempt. We believe that we are all set if we go to church consistently, pay our tithe, and come close to singing on pitch while the cheerleader – sorry, I meant Worship Leader – is pressing us ever closer to the presence of God. How is that different than what the Pharisee’s were except for the part where they new the scripture from beginning to end?
There are 2 distinct realities that are present in our lives, and we must choose which of those is going to drive our passions, motivations, and ultimately, our decisions. There is a beautiful world all around just waiting for us to step in. It will be painful, because as the Spirit lives, part of us dies. But we need to ask ourselves the question….is it worth it?
Are we ready to grasp everything that God has for us? The church needs a revival. A “getting back to basics” where we realize that love of God, and love of others is our 1 true reality; a place where our worship is passionate, our prayer is intimate and honest, and our lives are lived out with humility.
That, after all was the life of Jesus……
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