Trees amidst the forest
Sometimes I get in the funk associated with not 'going' to church or being involved in some 'ministry'. Heather and I went hiking at Radnor lake yesterday morning. Doing Ganier ridge twice worked up quite an appetite we satisfied at Fido's (one of our Hillsboro Village favorites). Over breakfast the conversation turned toward the feeling of meaninglessness we have sometimes during our time alone with Jesus; like we're just floating out here in the abyss of existence without any real direction or purpose.It's funny how the Spirit uses our honest no-holds-barred evaluations of our spiritual life. As we expressed frustration with doing nothing (by 'our' standards) Jesus opened our eyes to the possibilities around us at home, in our neighborhood and at work. It seems there are plenty, even overwhelming opportunities to 'be the church' and 'minister' in the small circle of life we experience everyday 'if' we are willing to spend our time and energy in ways nobody outside of our little world would recognize as valuable, care about or desire. The Spirit kind of held a mirror up in front of our lives and it was very apparent we have choosen a meaninglessness existence, within easy reach of an abundant life in the kingdom of God.
God is speaking to us, he wants to live his life through us in so many situations and we've been too busy looking for trees amidst the forest.
posted by Rick @ 5:25 AM
7 Comments:
Rick,
I have to say I really liked this post. Jen and I have struggled with some of the same stuff. We so want something SPECIAL to be a part of that we miss what is already special in our lives.
JAE
wow. you feel like this too eh?
Rick, my older kids aren't attending any church and I was struck recently by how busy they have been just being the church in the midst of living through the devastation of hurricane Wilma. Right before they move elsewhere they've been hanging out with neighbors they've never met before in two years, they've helped board up windows, drove someone to the airport, and washed leaf-caked cars for others. They've also been the recipient of loving gestures as well. Their hurricane spirituality has been showing me what "church" should look like.
Rick!
I know from your description of bar-b-que block parties in your neighborhood that you are spreading the Kingdom in everyday life. Better that than keeping the Kingdom life under a bushel or a steeple.
Hey other!
Our neighborhood is such a blessing to us. We were so relationally retarded from years of institutional church involvement that getting together with our neighbors has helped us know what it means to be a neighbor and to know people and be known.
thanks for stopping by.
Rick
we have found much freedom to interact with christians (defined by our former congregation as non-christians) since leaving the church.
we like and agree with the concept of 'being the church' when spending time exploring our spiritual/christianity with others.
there is that missing piece, though, of worship, in the corporate sense.
it is more than just beliveing in the intellectual sense that God calls us to a formal worship setting. we miss worshipping with others.
we don't miss church, and we don't want to go to church as we know it. (i just figured out that this is what we miss when a group of people sang Christmas carols the other night at a party.) it was a special group of people, all of whom have a deep connection with God and most of whom have a deep connection with their individual faith traditions.
wow, i miss that, the joining together to praise the God of our beings.
Hey Wilsford,
I was feeling amiss from experiencing 'corporate worship' this past week. I have memories of powerfull emotional experiences singing praise songs as part of a larger group of folks whether at home, church or camp. Teary eyed and emotional we would pour out our hearts and souls...good times.
The whole 'corporate worship' thing is transforming within me. I'm finding the same joy, adoration, emotion and passion in the midst of hearing what the Spirit is up to in another's life as well as sharing his working in mine. I'm beginning to understand the corporate worship phenomenon as the body of Christ sharing our individual worship (Rom 12:1) with each other through whatever medium (music, words, art, etc) God moves one to use.
I'm not sure how my old experiences of singing praise songs work into the above. I do look on those memories fondly but I sense He's teaching me a new reality of corporate worship...rejoice in the Lord 'always' and again I say rejoice.
Thanks so much for your thoughts...it helped bring out the above in me. :)
Rick
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