Getting Dirty

Something has been bothering me. And I'm not sure what to do about it, because I'm part of the problem.

There are too many saved people in church on Sunday. I get up in front of the church every Sunday morning and look out over the congregation and I've been thinking....wow, we have so many amazing people here....and, I get warm, fuzzy feelings as I look over the crowd and see my church family worshipping together. It really is wonderful. But, lately, I've begun to realize that something is bothering me about the whole picture.....I wasn't sure what it was at first, but then I started to notice. Where are the lost people? The ones who do not know Christ at all? Has church become a place where Christians meet, like a club or something? We should be bringing in the lost - the despised, the lonely, brokenhearted, the hopeless. But, (to quote a friend) we might have to get "dirty" to do that. There are people out there whose sins we might not want to be around. We might not want other people (other Christians) seeing us associated with THOSE sinners. You know - the ones whose sins everyone knows about. And, we might literally get dirty. Not everyone is as well off as many of us are. What if someone came into our church and they weren't as clean as we might like? They might track dirt in on the carpet. What would we do then? Could we just love them? Or would we stare and whisper?

I read an article recently about a preacher who held a Bible Study in taverns. He said that if drinkers are afraid to visit God's house, he'll bring God to them, wherever that may be, even if it's at a bar. Now, I know that this concept is hard for many to accept - Bible Study in a BAR? The people there wouldn't even want to hear it, right? In my experience, people who hang out in bars are still just people. Really. Most of them have the same things going on in their lives as Christians do (some of them even ARE Christians - gasp). And, most importantly, they need God. But, for some reason the bar scene is more attractive to them than the church scene. I wonder why that is? Maybe because they feel that Christians will look down on them for the things they have done wrong? Maybe they don't feel accepted in a church? So, for this man to lovingly go to where THEY ARE to tell them about Jesus. Isn't that what Jesus did?

I know that my life is as filthy as anyone else's and Christ loves me.

So, here are the lyrics that say it all:

Audio Adrenaline - Dirty

Tired of being clean, sick of being proper
I wanna live among the beggars
And dig out in the dirt
Fed up with religion
And all the pious people talking
Wanna hang out with the homeless
And show them what they're worth

Sometimes we just need to get a little messy
The God I serve isn't always safe
Step outside the walls,
We build to protect us
Don't be afraid, get some mud on your face

Let's get dirty, let's get used
No matter where you come from
If you're beaten up or bruised
Let's get foolish, let's get free
Free to be the one thing
We were meant to be – Get dirty

You might get a bruise or some blisters on your fingers
You might start a question, and wonder what it’s worth
You may slip and fall from the burdens that you carry
But you can’t have this treasure,
till you dig it from the dirt

Workplace Discussions.....

This week's discussion topic at work has been: If God is in control and knows everything that is going to happen, then why/how do we have free will? The conversation goes around in circles. God knows everything and how things are going to turn out, so why do we pray to Him? Why do we ask Him for things when it's already set to happen a certain way? How does it benefit us or God? Well, the answer to that is in the relationship. God wants us to have a relationship with Him. And WE NEED to have a relationship with Him. Our discussion ended on the fact that we will never fully understand how things work in God's grand scheme of things, at least not as long as we exist on earth. In the end, we have to have faith that God is good and that we can trust Him with His plan.

Last night at Bible Study (Wonderful Wednesday), on the video we watched, Tony Evans said that it doesn't matter whether we accept or reject God, His plan will continue. Whether we accept or reject Him determines whether he will work through us, move around us, or push us out of the way. This was in reference to God's plan for the second coming of Christ, but I think it can also apply to God's plan in our day to day lives.

Now I have this picture in my head of God doing His work.....and sometimes we choose to join Him, sometimes we sit out or walk away. But, He is still carrying out His plan. I think that the choices we make may alter how our lives are played out, but God's concern is gathering souls to Himself. Not that He doesn't care about the little things in our lives - those things help us grow - but, in the end, the only thing that matters is our salvation. That is His work. So, while we may think that it is important that we get this or that job, marry someone at a certain time and have X number of kids, stay in good health.....these things do not worry God.....His work is bigger than that. Our lives are eternal. The things that go on in the small amount of time we spend on planet earth are miniscule in comparison to what God has planned. So, we need to choose to join God in His work, and all the little things will fall into place.

(And, yes, I work with awesome people who challenge my faith constantly with great discussions such as these. I am very thankful for them!)

Thats My King

The late S.M. Lockridge once presented an incredible message, describing our God and who He is. Though God can't be described with just words, this is as close as you can get this side of Heaven.

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Where I Was

On the morning of September 11, 2001, I was in my college apartment, getting ready to go to class. It was a morning like any other. My alarm clock went off and I drug myself out of bed. Took a shower, got dressed, had my orange juice, like I always do. My computer was on, so as I picked up my book bag to head to class, I glanced at the screen. A friend of mine had IM'd me...."Have you been watching the news?" "No", I replied, "Why?" "Turn the TV on", he said, "the World Trade Center has been attacked." I turned on the television and watched, unsure of what was going on. An airplane had hit the WTC? They were talking about terrorists. I left and started walking to class. It was beautiful outside. The campus seemed quiet, except for the military jets that flew over. In my class, everyone was chatting about what was going on. No one really knew yet exactly what had happened. Our professor came in and taught class as usual. Afterward, I went back to my apartment. Mom called. She told me that I had better fill my car up with gas, because the rumor was that the stations might run out. Of course, I knew that I shouldn't give into that panicked behavior like everyone else, but I wanted to get home that weekend. I wanted to make sure I was able to get home to see my parents and sister, so I (like everyone else) went to the gas station and got in line. Cars were lined down Kingshighway waiting for gas. There were probably 10 cars in front of me, but I didn't care. It wasn't important. For once, I didn't get impatient waiting in a line. All of us were there for the same reason. We were confused about what had happened. We didn't know what else to do. I turned on the radio in my car. The only thing on any station was coverage of the day's events. I listened as they told of the deaths...I couldn't stop the tears. My normally selfish routine had been interrupted by something bigger than me...something I couldn't control. I didn't personally know a single soul who died that day, so I don't know what it feels like to be a person who did lose a loved one. What I did feel was an attack on something I love.....something that until that day, I did not realize how much I took for granted. My country. Our freedom. The great people who live here. My home.

"I can only speak with a grateful heart as I'm pierced by this gift of your love..." - Jeremy Camp