Saturday, April 25, 2015

Marco Polo

  There was a time in my life when this is what my walk with God felt like. A mystical game of Marco Polo. I would seek, and search, or press in, all in the name of quiet time or devotional time. I would cry Marco with a drive to be at more prayer meetings, more bible studies, or any extra curricular "church" meeting I could attend. In this, I would wait for Him to say Polo either by another prophetic word or just a good ole fashion slobber knocker of a meeting! I think back to those times and honestly I just get frustrated. Did I really see God as playing this cosmic game with me? Did I really think jumping through all the hoops would help me find the current soap box God was standing on so I could stand with him and help him out?

  I find it true that the way we see our Father is the way we will live our lives. What I mean is, if He's angry we'll either live rebelliously and ignore His existence or we'll run on the hamster wheel of good deeds, praying more, reading the bible more, fasting more, do more ministry, etc...in hopes that He's taken our efforts as an acceptable sacrifice and doesn't smite us. Since the dawn of time we've missed the mark of seeing Him how He truly is and seeing ourselves in the light of how He sees us. Anything about the Father that doesn't resemble Jesus can be, and in my case, will be ignored. Jesus came to reveal what God was really like, not what everyone had made him out to be. Jesus didn't come to change God's mind about us, He came to change our minds about God.

  Take a look at this...In John 1 we find this incredible prologue that has so much deep and rich meaning that theologians are still mining it all out, but I'm not a theologian so I'll try to stay as simple as possible. "In the beginning was the Word (logos)..." stop right there. So many times we read that and do this equation: Word = Bible = Jesus...Jesus is the bible made flesh. I've actually heard preachers say to hug your bible if you want to be closer to Jesus. Um, I beg your pardon? Logos is so much more, it's such a more complex Greek word than just...word. Logos is logic of God, wisdom of God, it's the character and nature of God. It's His likeness...now that = Jesus. Now, finish the verse. The Logos was with God, the Logos is God, everything was created through the likeness, nature, character, and logic of God. Verse 14, the Logos became flesh and lived among us. The Logos became one of us to prove a point. God loved us so much he'd become one of us, and let us pour out our anger and darkness on Him just so that we could see real genuine forgiveness. Since Adam and Eve, humanity had been trying to get on God's good side. Jesus was the embodiment of God's good side. Jesus ate meals with the socially unacceptable. Jesus made more wine for a party that had drank all their own. Jesus walked around with people calling him rabbi, but was caught healing the sick and doing good on sabbath. He was seen talking to a woman at a well...a rabbi should not be talking to a woman. Jesus was revealing God's good side. Jesus was revealing God's VERY good side. Jesus was revealing God's judgements or decisions concerning his creation. "I did not come into the world to condemn it, but to save, heal, protect, preserve, deliver it!" (John 3:17) His decision/judgement toward us was final. He includes all, loves all, forgives all. 

  He made His way inside our blindness to show us His true self. He delivered us through His death and re-birthed us through His resurrection. We're not in Kansas anymore Toto! We've been reborn into a kingdom that cannot be shaken. A kingdom in which the poorest get to eat at the same table as the richest. We are all sons and daughters. We can't run on the hamster wheel enough to get God's attention. We already have his attention. There's no cosmic Marco Polo. There's just eating and drinking with friends and knowing He's there with us. There's hearing your favorite song on the radio and realizing that He's inside us listening AND enjoying it too. He's the Father in story of the prodigal son. Excited to see that his sons and daughters are opening there eyes to realize they still belong to Him and coming home to a party in their honor. In your rebellion you're still a son/daughter. In all your striving to be perfect you're still a son/daughter. He won't let you live like a servant, He won't let you lie down in your shame, or continue hiding in your darkness like Adam and Eve. He's the light of ALL men. He's the light already inside you. He's cried Polo back to us from the very depths of our soul!

  

Sunday, April 19, 2015

Cause I did...

   The title to this blog is a phrase I used as a child anytime I was questioned for my actions. I'm not quite sure why I never bothered to explain myself when I had done something wrong or just out of the ordinary, but I didn't mind acknowledging the fact that I did indeed do it.

   This is where I stand again today. Why did I start questioning things about God, church, faith, or religion? Cause I did....

   Why do I question the way the world is seen through the stereotypical "christian" eye?

  Why do I feel the need to be so controversial on what most call absolutes about God?

Cause I do...Cause I did...Cause I probably always will...


  My faith is what has always kept me going in every situation of life. Jesus is truth with a pulse. That I don't question. On that topic I have resolve, but in most all other aspects of the world and life I will question the hell out of it...

  If this upsets you, perhaps you should find a blog more suitable to your taste. However, if you would like the hear my thoughts on God and life...then buckle up, there's no turning back now. Oh, and when I get asked why I did this or why I said that, you'll already know my answer. Cause I did...