Tuesday, June 07, 2016

ENGULFED IN THE WONDER OF THE CHURCH

One must make asserted effort to refrain from living a small life.  Our God craves for bigger for us.  Yet, our minds are self-convincing that our walk on earth is mainly about us.  If not careful, we will shoot ourselves in our own feet and limp through life due to self-infliction of little thinking.  With this it seems that each of us clamors for the center stage.  From this perspective, life tends to revolve.

We might acknowledge that we know this is a grave mistake to think such.  However, there is persistent temptation to make this day (and the next) (and the next) about self.  Each of us has inherited a flaw from Adam and Eve.  This couple was obsessed with life revolving around themselves and we repeatedly imitate the trend.  While we battle for recognition, our faith suffers because, in reality, meaningful life isn't about self.  Productive life is higher, wider, deeper, and farther.  But, oh how we battle this reality.

In The Broken Church Paul Dawson reflects , The focus is upon the eternal purpose of God, not on my particular (and minuscule) piece of the pie.  Yet how often do we judge the validity of the church and of our own faith by the tiny part that we play, what we get, what we understand, and what we perceive is fair?  Do we not validate our faith based upon our myopic self-o-scope?  Is my life unfolding according to my plan?  Is faith working for me?  We have missed the entire point.  What if life and faith are not even about us?

Engulfed in the life of wonder is to follow Jesus.  Real life is the call to live anticipationally; yet, sacrificially.  He insisted that if we are to keep our lives we must lose them.  Additionally, he is clear that if we lose our lives we will find them.  This is risky faith.  This is the secret to wonder.  Be encouraged to die to self; to your wish, your will, your want.  In so doing, a level of life will arise of which each of us dreams.

Watch for the wonder.  Place yourself in its realm by being attentive to God and to others.  Get ready....to be really blessed!


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