Jesus didn't die so we can live good lives

(this is a bit ramble-y, but I should be working, so oh well. I just have to get my thoughts out.)
I had a really good discussion the other day which lead to this revelation in the shower. I felt the need to share it then. Jesus did not come to earth and die for our sins so that we can live a "good Christian life." The majority of Christians will say that leading a morally good life is the most important thing of being a Christian. (I read this in UnChristian, a book put out by the Barna Research group.) Wow! We as Christians are really missing the point. If that was the reason Jesus suffered and died, then it was in vain. The Pharisees had good living down. But Jesus chastised them, and told them they were missing the point. (Now he never told them living clean was wrong, but...) Jesus said it is about relationship. We need to reach out to those who are not loved, and love them! But before that we need accept God's love for ourselves- what would our lives look like if we really understood God's love for us? I have had just tastes of this and I know that is not the way so many of us strive to live (including myself). We would not be focused on the right and wrong. We would not be calculating how much time we spend in the Bible, and how many verses we read. I read a book from the Bible 2 weeks ago and I am still processing that! We so often look at quantity. If we can read one verse and be challenged or encouraged, then let's take time to mediate on that one verse. Anything we try to do out of our own power is going to fail. We need to focus on God, receiving his love, and let our lives flow from that. When I am focused on God, I am not concerned about every little detail, but paradoxically he is influencing every little detail - so much more than I would be able to do on my own.
On a related strain, I was thinking about how this would affect the way we teach our children. (speaking generally here as I do not have children) What if I did not teach my child that one thing is right and another is wrong? Don't freak out! Hear me out. What if instead, I taught them what is loving; what is God's character? We attended a message on how people often view right and wrong as determined by the Bible, but he (Josh McDowell) taught instead that right and wrong is determined because what is wrong is against God's character. So I was thinking how would this shape the way we teach children? I think with this approach, we could end up some amazing children, who love God and others throughout their entire life. If a child understood God's love from the beginning, then he or she would naturally share that. That's the way children are. And so we would have children blessing other children and adults like crazy. When they grew up, instead of rebelling against the rules, having understood God's love, they would be lights in their lives, loving and caring for everyone around them. What an impact that would have on the world. I get so excited to think about it.

Wood and Gold

So often when I think of what is expected by the Christian church, and even as perceived from those outside, is a misunderstood humility. An extreme example are those who live a monastic life. God does not call us to live without, but he calls us not to be dependent on our physical belongings. When Jesus told the rich man to give up his wealth, he was asking the man to put God before his possessions. This was not a requirement to be without, but an example of where our priorities should lie.
I feel that who I am supposed to be "as a Christian" is also influenced at times by this mis-perception: that as a Christian, many people feel I should not want earthly possessions, and if I do, then I need to pray about that. It is okay to want things, but the deeper desires, those for God should overpower the smaller earthly desires. And I would say this is true of myself. Yesterday I said, "I would like to have a nice home with nice furnishings, but relationship is more important to me; I would give up the nice stuff to be able to be with those I love and to be in a place where I can minister." (on a side note, I used to think I had to have a nice place to minister. Now I know it doesn't matter where I am.)
So all this to get to a verse I read in 2 Timothy. It says that we are like a home containing wood and gold items, and God wants to remove the wood. This caught me off guard. Personally I feel there is so much emphasis on being low, that I would have thought we would be all wood. But instead God wants to make us into something precious and pure. All this is to say that I often miss this point. Humility is not something that should be self-degrading, but it should be honest. As my example given above, I do think I need to pray about my perception of "stuff." I often mess up when it comes to (what I mistakenly see as) my things. Humility is admitting that, and glorifying God for the times when my perspective is not messed up. I need to see myself the way God sees me, as redeemed through Jesus' blood, and an heir to his kingdom. God values me and wants me to be someone of value.

2 Timothy 20-21: 20In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. 21If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.

Before the dive

I know what I am going to dive into, but I can't wait for it. I want to know God's presence now; I want to experience him on a daily - moment by moment - basis now. So God is coming to meet me where I am.
I am still standing on the edge of that cliff, reading to dive into the ocean of God's presence, but the fog is thick, the wind is blowing, and the waves are crashing, and I am wet - wet and becoming saturated with God's presence. Because I am near him. I want to be as close as I can. But it's not time to jump yet; it's not safe.

These last couple weeks have been amazing. The trip Jerry and I took to Colorado was so much more than a vacation. It was a time to step back from the daily routine and life and refocus on God. We have always been able to talk to each other about stuff, but there we were able to talk more easily. That freedom is continuing back in San Diego, as we continue to seek God, keep focused on him, and trust in him. It is an exciting time of unknown.
We are embracing the dreams God has given us, and stepping out to prepare for those dreams. And as I say that, I know God is also preparing in ways that we don't even know. We look forward to the time when we are immersed in God's presence, and although some of what we want to do is learn to take that with us wherever we go, even now God is giving us a taste of what that will be like.
Praise God!

On the edge

Last night I was trying to describe my recent prayers on ministry. I have had this anticipation and expectation of being used by God, but I could not describe it. I literally had no words. Some of this was due to the unknown details, another part was being uncertain if my dreams were from God. What I did understand was I felt God had put in my heart this understanding/belief that he was going to work individually in my life, in the lives of those closest to me, and corporately as well. Today I was finally able to get the right words to put together what I have been feeling/thinking.
I feel that we (myself and those closest to me) are on the edge of something big. That God is going to work, and not in a small way, and this time is imminent. So many people I know and they know long for something deeper, a relationship with another person where they can bare their hearts and work toward healing. It is so easy for fear to keep us from being real with others in the places where we are hurting; we fear that the other person will not recognize the hurt in his or her own life and judge us for our struggles. What I have been learning – learning as in understanding with my life, not my mind – is that we are on a journey. The Bible even says that we are running a race; we define sanctification as the process of becoming holy. Yet so often the corporate church, and myself, focus on being perfect – the end goal, and don’t appreciate or acknowledge that getting there is a difficult journey with struggles of many kinds. So what we long for, what we need, is a community where we can come together and support each other along this journey. I believe this is what God wants for his children.
What are we waiting for? What is holding us back from this? First, I believe everything in God’s time. Our desire and anticipation is growing for this, and when we proceed, it will not be half hearted. What results is going to be life altering. I am not supposing that some new wave or trend will start in the church; that is not the focus of this. At least not the organized church. We are looking at our lives and the people we touch. This focus on community is very personal. Secondly, we need to do this as a community and have everyone necessary in place. My friend noted that others need to come along on their own and not be pushed off the edge. This is very true. Certain relationships will force others along, and we don’t need to be causing harm in the pursuit of love. So now we gather and wait in anticipation on the edge of a cliff, to dive deep into the relationships and community that God has orchestrated.

the end of journaling?

I wrote in my journal last week. I hadn't written since November. I have found someone to talk to. He wants to hear what's going on in my head and my heart. He's always happy to talk, even if there are other things to be done. I haven't felt I needed to write my thoughts down as much since I've had someone to talk with. That's really nice.

New avenue to see God

Who is reading this anyhow? As far as I know, I have one person following my blog without me sending a link at each post. So since this is dead end of a way to share, I am feeling brave in sharing this here.
I haven’t made any previous announcements about this. If you have seen me at church, you probably figured it out anyhow. I have a boyfriend. So why I am sharing this here, in this place I created to share about what God’s doing? Well, it’s because God is using him to remind me of who He is.
Ever since the first day I met this guy, I have been really comfortable around him. He is very much himself; that is he doesn’t try to hide who is or be what he isn’t. That has made me feel that I can be the same way. It’s good not to have to feel guarded in who I am, in fear that I might be rejected. (This is a struggle I have faced in varying degrees for years – well maybe forever.) It’s not as though I haven’t continued to deal with this fearful feeling, but it is usually when I am caught up in my own mind.
So last night I was in that place again, feeling like I had to explain myself as I was staring across the room – then I looked at this guy and that fear went away. I knew that he wasn’t judging me or wanting me to be a certain way – instead I knew that he accepts and appreciates who I am. It feels good to be in that place. When I thought about that feeling this morning, God reminded me that this is how He feels about me. I know this: that God accepts who I am. He created me this way! But it is a different understanding having a fellow human convey God’s message through more than a sermon. And knowing that God is with me all the time, that I never have to feel those fears, makes me feel very loved. God’s love is so great!

I have a rock on my desk

I have a rock on my desk. It’s been there for a while now. They passed them out at church one day and I put it in my purse, then pulled it out at work and there it sits. It’s not a very big rock, but symbolizes a lot. When I was in college we had these chapels called Stones of Remembrance chapel. The concept was taken from the Old Testament when the Israelites crossed the Jordon River and then built an altar from stones on the other side of the river to remember how God parted the river so they could cross. The chapel was a time of testimony from the community; there would be three students each chapel who had a rock, usually with a verse on it, that represented some turning point or lesson that God had been working at in their lives. There is a pile of these stones on campus; our altar of sorts, reminding us that God is still at work in our lives. This rock on my desk reminds me in the same way that God has been and continues to be at work, and is why they were passed out at church. I like this reminder, and it also has served to remind me to pray for my friends and co-workers who also need this reminder.
I have a rock on my desk, and while it may seem odd, it’s not going anywhere.