On Sunday a lot of things went "wrong" at the church I go to. I go to a pretty big church, depending on who you are, so we utilize a lot of technology. This past Sunday was kind of crazy, the mics weren't working well so there was popping, feedback, all that good stuff. There were also not enough people to serve communion. In our church there are men who walk around and pass out trays that have crackers and grape juice in them, we eat and drink these things to celebrate Christ's coming to earth, dying, and resurrection. Communion is so much more important that I'm making it sound, but it's not the specific point of my story so I'm not going to elaborate much on it right now. Anyway, in front of me there was a man who had to hold his tray for almost five minutes before he realized that no "usher" was going to come and take it from him. He actually had to get up and give his tray to someone, how out of the ordinary....
Now in most cases people would reflect on all these things that went "wrong" and think, "Man, satan sure was trying to get into our service, good thing we kept him out though". That's not what I saw. What if we looked at these things not as acts of satan, but instead as acts of God who is trying to break through? What if the mics cutting in and out was God's way of saying, "Why don't you simplify a little?" What if the awkwardness of communion was God's way of saying, "You know, sometimes you need to get up in the aisles and participate. Following after me is more about serving than sitting in a pew and expecting someone to cater to your every need" or maybe He was saying, "You know, faith and worship are neither clean nor perfect. They are a reflection of your need for me and my love for you"?
I don't know about you, but my life is messy. My house is often messy, my thoughts are jumbled up in a mess inside my brain, I make stupid choices. When things are messy in my life I usually want to point to satan and say, "He did it!". Maybe what I'll start to do is ask God, "Are you trying to teach me something?" I think I'll be surprised by what God says in response.
Now in most cases people would reflect on all these things that went "wrong" and think, "Man, satan sure was trying to get into our service, good thing we kept him out though". That's not what I saw. What if we looked at these things not as acts of satan, but instead as acts of God who is trying to break through? What if the mics cutting in and out was God's way of saying, "Why don't you simplify a little?" What if the awkwardness of communion was God's way of saying, "You know, sometimes you need to get up in the aisles and participate. Following after me is more about serving than sitting in a pew and expecting someone to cater to your every need" or maybe He was saying, "You know, faith and worship are neither clean nor perfect. They are a reflection of your need for me and my love for you"?
I don't know about you, but my life is messy. My house is often messy, my thoughts are jumbled up in a mess inside my brain, I make stupid choices. When things are messy in my life I usually want to point to satan and say, "He did it!". Maybe what I'll start to do is ask God, "Are you trying to teach me something?" I think I'll be surprised by what God says in response.
1 comment:
Amen, Tish! Amen! I think that just might be what God tries to tell us daily. "Simplify your lives and follow me. Serve one another. Get up and do something!"
We are praying for you and your team. I will email you soon about fundraising. We are in a whirlwind right now as we have just 8 days left in Porto Alegre.
Take care.
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