Appeal to family

I’m one of those people who’s life is like a haphazard sequence of my “latest and greatest” ideas. Problem is, with an imagination like mine, reality tends to punctuate life with doubt and fear. Every few months I look up from my dreaming and remark, “Um, I think I’ve just missed my chance to be a part of something great.” Struggling to grow up, I often feel no further forward, just further along. And then I find that I could suddenly be called an adult if I would just settle for whichever idea seems the most like the intersection between feasibility and graduation. It’s disenchanting that what often compels a dreamer to settle on something can have so little to do with its merits, and so much to do with timing.

And then there’s God’s grace. You know, that immaculately reassuring truth that is so much more than a second chance. Grace teaches me that the years of mental drifting had a purpose. They were meant to build my character, to prepare me for…that’s right, something great. It sorta makes sense now. I did learn a thing or two down those dead ends. And indeed, I’m not the boy I once was. Still weak, but not a boy for sure. This sharp sense of God’s control and goodness gives me the faith to pray “LORD, just show me yourself doing something…ANYthing, and I’ll join you. I trust that you have a plan for me, and I’m finally willing to hear what YOU say that plan is.”

Side Note #1: When God finally gets our heart like that, and begins to really guide us, I wonder if even the clearest directions have to be checked against the mirror. So often I seen way too much of my desires, my preferences, my self in the plans I make. The Spirit may pour new love in my heart and open my eyes to see God in unexpected places, Scripture may come alive in fresh and exciting ways, my little brother my actually not say “That’s the stupidest idea since the spring-loaded intersection”, but none of this means I can trust myself. None of this means I can be proud of something. This is why I need the family I have, and this is why you can help me.

So, here’s the results of that “just show me…” prayer: For one, I believe God wants us to reconsider how we’ve made ourselves available to Him for the task of preparing people for the Gospel. Specifically, that God really uses stuff that we might recognize as “social-ministry”, but it ought to be more purposeful, or strategic, than is often the case. However, before we get too carried away with what we can offer others, we also should improve in our service and love for God’s family, starting in our small groups, but actually including Christians in other churches, if necessary.

Side Note #2: Yup, that’s basically it, I hope you weren’t anticipating anything new or flashy. Actually, I was anticipating that kind of thing. It is kind of humbling to see that this task may resemble that same old well-wishing-sappy-load-of-garbage that denominational Christianity has been using for decades to water down the Gospel. However, I firmly believe God has something far more real and Spirit led than “let’s join hands and love the world.” Forget that, let’s go make disciples of all the nations.

In my next blog, I’ll start to outline some of the principles and convictions that have come up as my eyes have been opened to how God uses His church to cultivate people’s soil. I want this to spur a conversation, and I don’t really care if it takes place here, or if you want to call me or grab me in person. The point is, you have a unique story of how God prepared you for faith, and even now, you have needs that some Christians around you were probably designed by God to help with. We all have a stake in this, and we all have something to offer. And I understand if I sound frustratingly vague, stick with me here, I have plenty of specific ideas that I’ll be throwing out for you to chew on, and spit out, hopefully, much improved. And by the way, it means so much to me that you care enough to have read this, so thank you. I’ll be talking with you soon…