Tuesday, June 03, 2008
Lessons from Painting a Shed.
Well my denominational discussion group is at it again. Someone just asked whether we thought she was a conservative or not based on her beliefs and some Spiritual experiences she has had that are outside the norm for some in our denomination. Here is my response
I used to consider myself a conservative 'til some people on this list told me I was not a conservative but rather an evangelical. I thought all Christians were supposed to be evangelical. Not long after that interchange I realized something that has helped me a great deal. I now pretty much reject all labels but one. I am a Christ-follower. He's out there leading the way and I am just trying to keep up. He's my father, I'm His child, some days I'm an honor student, some days I'm a dunce, but at the end of the day I am His beloved child. My relationship with God is pretty much like my favorite photograph in the whole world. There's this photo of me painting my shed, beside me is my son Chris, two years old at the time with a brush in his hand and he's painting too. Now truth be known I didn't need his help, he even slowed me down. He made a mess in a lot of ways, but as I look at that picture I realize something important. That's how it is with God, he doesn't need my help, I probably slow him down and sometimes I make a huge mess but somewhere in my heart I realize that my feeble efforts put a smile on his face just like my son put one on mine. It was great that my son wanted to be a part of what I was doing. I think that's how God sees our service to Him and we dare not switch this around. He is blessed that we want to be a part of what He is doing, and we dare not try to make him part of what we are doing.
I have been so performance driven in my life that I have had a hard time comprehending God's love for me. I felt it when I felt successful but when I felt weak or stupid or made a mistake, it was hard for me to comprehend that his love for me was still the same. I was driven by the opinions of others. I can't really let that concern me anymore. I am a Christ follower. Sister, God will speak to you as He sees fit. You have the counsel of the word to help you to discern what is of Him and what isn't. You don't need a label, if God is speaking to you, listen. He will lead, you follow and may God bless you as you walk with him.
I think we need to let the labels go. The survival of the COB should not even be our primary concern. If we follow Jesus and are faithful, we will be successful in the eyes of the only One whose opinion means anything. Survival is the baseline anyway, I don't just want to survive, which reminds me of a life of just barely hanging on. I want to thrive.
Well my denominational discussion group is at it again. Someone just asked whether we thought she was a conservative or not based on her beliefs and some Spiritual experiences she has had that are outside the norm for some in our denomination. Here is my response
I used to consider myself a conservative 'til some people on this list told me I was not a conservative but rather an evangelical. I thought all Christians were supposed to be evangelical. Not long after that interchange I realized something that has helped me a great deal. I now pretty much reject all labels but one. I am a Christ-follower. He's out there leading the way and I am just trying to keep up. He's my father, I'm His child, some days I'm an honor student, some days I'm a dunce, but at the end of the day I am His beloved child. My relationship with God is pretty much like my favorite photograph in the whole world. There's this photo of me painting my shed, beside me is my son Chris, two years old at the time with a brush in his hand and he's painting too. Now truth be known I didn't need his help, he even slowed me down. He made a mess in a lot of ways, but as I look at that picture I realize something important. That's how it is with God, he doesn't need my help, I probably slow him down and sometimes I make a huge mess but somewhere in my heart I realize that my feeble efforts put a smile on his face just like my son put one on mine. It was great that my son wanted to be a part of what I was doing. I think that's how God sees our service to Him and we dare not switch this around. He is blessed that we want to be a part of what He is doing, and we dare not try to make him part of what we are doing.
I have been so performance driven in my life that I have had a hard time comprehending God's love for me. I felt it when I felt successful but when I felt weak or stupid or made a mistake, it was hard for me to comprehend that his love for me was still the same. I was driven by the opinions of others. I can't really let that concern me anymore. I am a Christ follower. Sister, God will speak to you as He sees fit. You have the counsel of the word to help you to discern what is of Him and what isn't. You don't need a label, if God is speaking to you, listen. He will lead, you follow and may God bless you as you walk with him.
I think we need to let the labels go. The survival of the COB should not even be our primary concern. If we follow Jesus and are faithful, we will be successful in the eyes of the only One whose opinion means anything. Survival is the baseline anyway, I don't just want to survive, which reminds me of a life of just barely hanging on. I want to thrive.
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