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God doesn’t throw tea parties…**
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Devotional Thought of the Day:
For you have not come to what could be touched, to a blazing fire, to darkness, gloom, and storm, 19 to the blast of a trumpet, and the sound of words. (Those who heard it begged that not another word be spoken to them, 20 for they could not bear what was commanded: And if even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned! 21 The appearance was so terrifying that Moses said, I am terrified and trembling.) 22 Instead, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God (the heavenly Jerusalem), to myriads of angels in festive gathering, 23 to the assembly of the firstborn whose names have been written in heaven, to God who is the Judge of all, to the spirits of righteous people made perfect, 24 to Jesus (mediator of a new covenant), and to the sprinkled blood, which says better things than the blood of Abel. Heb. 12:18-24
I have a dear friend, who owns an antique shop*, which specializes in China and glassware and all the fancy stuff. When I drop in to visit her lovely shop, I tend to get a bit… anxious.
You see, at 6’2, 300+ pounds and with the grace that could only be compared to a drunk giraffe on ice skates, I am paranoid that I will trip and fall and set off her entire shoop like one of those domino exhibits.
Why am I telling you this? I think we occasionally get the idea that God is fragile, that His holiness somehow makes Him brittle. Or perhaps it is His patience with us that is brittle.
Either way, we become stand-offish, trying to find the one safe place that is safe to stand, out of the way, out of the danger, unable to cause a major spiritual catastrophe. We aren’t to stand and gaze on HIs beauty from afar, afraid to touch, afraid to approach, afraid to get personal with God. Worried that we will screw up something, or do something that will His anger, that we will deserve His wrath and punishment for breaking things, including our own lives.
That isn’t the God we have been drawn to, as the author of Hebrews tells us.
Holiness isn’t some kind of proper, reserved, dainty, perfect mannered attitude suitable for tea parties. (though Jesus does care for those who go to such events!**) It is an incredibly emotional overwhelming experience of relief or peace of love. It is like the time when our Soldiers first returned after the post-9-11 invasion of Iraq, as people lined the road out to the Marine Corps base for nearly 20 miles, celebrating the return of their loved ones.
Except holiness is not seen in celebrating the return of heroes coming home, but prodigals, sinners. Or holiness celebrates our being made holy, our being cleansed and set apart for this incredible relationship we have with God. We are reunited with the God who offered Thomas the chance to put his hand in His lance-pierced side, to know Jesus was with Him. We walk with the God who is willing to transform our heart and mind and share with s His in the process.
This is our God, a God who makes contact with us, who just doesn’t sit on a shelf, or look down on us from heaven. He is a God who shows us How much He loves us… by coming and dwelling among us, carefully restoring that which we’ve broken…because…
He loves us!
Relax, and soak in that love, and as you see people afraid of God, share with them the God who knows you! AMEN!
*If you are in Orange, Ca, you can visit my friend’s show at A&P collectibles in the Orange Circle 🙂
** the ladies of our church have an incredible ladies advent tea each year… and I am sure Jesus is present at it… 🙂
Barna Surveys, Politics & the Church’s Message…and who is welcome here.
Devotional/Discussion thoughts for the day….
27 God’s plan is to make known his secret to his people, this rich and glorious secret which he has for all peoples. And the secret is that Christ is in you, which means that you will share in the glory of God. 28 So we preach Christ to everyone. With all possible wisdom we warn and teach them in order to bring each one into God’s presence as a mature individual in union with Christ. 29 To get this done I toil and struggle, using the mighty strength which Christ supplies and which is at work in me. Colossians 1:27-29 (TEV)
224 It’s intolerable that you should waste your time with “your own silly little concerns” when there are so many souls awaiting you. (1)
I received an invitation yesterday to fill out a barna survey. Thouh I usually trash such invitaitons, I took this one, and it got me thinking.
You see – it was all about politics and the pulpit. Questions about would I preach sermons specifically on various issues, from gun control, to civil disobedience (required byt he gospel?) to homesexuality and abortion and immigration reform. THey wanted to know whether I thought of myself as a conservative, and whether I agreed with the Tea Party or considered myself part of that group. It also asked to what extent the church would be involved in voter registration drives, encouragin people to vote/ assisting them to get to the polls, pand other forms of activism.
I will probably skew their polls incredibly. Because while I am a conservative in many of the above topics, I do not believe that any of them is so “concerning” that it should become the sole topic for a time set apart to help people know God. Using St Josemaria’s quote – though I am not sure the concerns are silly, they are small compared in view of people needing to know God’s love, and to introduce them to Jesus, who will transform their lives, and give them hearts and quicken their souls. That’s the purpose of preaching – as Paul so adequately tells the church in Colossae. It’s abot knowing Jesus,a nd His love…
That is why we don’t have a church that is all Republicans, or all Democrat, or all Tea Party or Green Party. Every member of every party and every independent needs to know Christ far more than they need to know how to vote. They need to begin to understand how hide and wide, how deep and broad God’s love is. They need to know that God gives us faith, calls and empowers our repentance, and comletely makes us His own. That’s what I am called and ordained to provide them – the knowledge that they are in the presence of God.
He gives us peace…. even when the world is, as it always seems to be, falling apart, the sky crashing down on us, and the sea storms ready to overwhelm us.
even when “the othe party’s guy” sits in the chair and supposedly has the power to make decisions. God’s still in charge my friends,,,, see what Joseph realized in Gen. 50:20….
And even when the other guys are in power – pray for them, as much as you can – live at peace with them…and avoid despair by knowing the Lord is with us…
That’s our message – one every needs to hear…
Christ the Saviour (Pantokrator), a 6th-century encaustic icon from Saint Catherine’s Monastery, Mount Sinai. NB – slightly cut down – for full size see here (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
(1) Escriva, Josemaria (2011-01-31). Furrow (Kindle Locations 1137-1139). Scepter Publishers. Kindle Edition.
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