Ironically I can use this picture to explain my day. Feeling crushed a bit. Discouraged; misunderstood; hard pressed. The armor suit was a "Armor of God" outfit that came with scriptures from Ephesians 6. I definitely needed the armor today! As we labor from day to day in the kingdom so much is done to establish the truth of the kingdom and the freedom that comes with knowing Christ. Addicted, mental and miserable people exchange their weights for the freeing love of God and the forgiveness that pulls away all remnants of sin's tainting in life. Insecurities vanish. Fears are done away with. Shy and introverted people become bold and impassioned for Christ.
In the midst of all of this tough day I had to examine what was so tough about it. The lack of love around me. We gather and talk about how good God is and how passionate we are about being followers of God and all the while having little love at all for the people called to be our family (the church). I am learning that the scriptures are true when they say in 1 Corinthians 13 that if I could give my body up to be burned, or have faith to move mountains or could speak in tongues of angels and know all mysteries but have not love it is NOTHING. My frustration with people today is that I just want them to love each other....just want to, not actually do it (smile). I was talking with some dudes...close dudes....ministry partners, and when I was told one didn't like the other and didn't even want to, I wanted to throw up. I was like, "huh?" "Well, I guess I better just quit the ministry and all that I am doing because it isn't worth jack squat if that is how you want to feel and stay." And I truly mean that. What good is it without the WANT TO? Who wants to be a church that "tolerates" each other. Yuck. Ooogaly boogaly. Don't get me wrong. People get on my nerves daily. But, oh how I receive them, I just love them, I hope for them, I believe that God is gonna get em, get a hold of em. You know, the "never give up on people." Don't get me wrong, there is a time to distance and a time to confront with boldness, but that doesn't mean the love is missing.
God help me. Help our church. Help 180 to want to LOVE each other. You know? Really, just want to. In the end of the day a dear brother sent me a word that said, "His life is like an orange, cut in half and ground, over a juicing stone and poured in a cup." Talk about humbling.... I just wanted to fall down thinking about that statement...feeling far from it. He was saying that about my life. At the moment, I just wanted to throw oranges. Feeling my life is amounting to little when the attitudes that I experienced in the church were so anemic regarding the basic LOVE that Christ gives and calls for us. But then again, that is what the juicing stone is....it is gut wrenching, but we sit on it. Let it tear us up....give ourselves. Thanks bro for sending me that encouragement. I was ready to get off the juicer, but praise God, Love is going to be the foundational value in 180 if I have to eat the juicing stone til I go home. It is worth it to suffer and press to the greater place of love even if we never see it actualized. Praying for more love. - Stu
2 comments:
I remember, as a kid, my sis and I getting into a nasty fight. As part of our punishment, my dad had us write 1 Cor 13:1 out 100 times. As I wrote it out over and over again I got so tired of gongs and cymbals but the truth of the scripture became more and more real to me as I read what I was writing. It was so repetitive and boring, much like my actions/words/heart without love were just stank wretchedness.
Phil 2 also speaks volumes about the way the believers should be, our standard is Christ, imitating Christ's love. "If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others." (phil 2:1-4) and "Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life—in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing. But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. So you too should be glad and rejoice with me." (phil 2:14-18)
Now there's a standard!! If we could live that out as believers, as the church, maybe the world would have something to get excited about. Oh that we could be so consumed with love for Christ, love for His children and hearts for the lost that we couldn't help but constantly ooze Christ's love and be willingly and constantly poured out. Oh that our personal ambitions, entitlement, comforts, and personality quirks and annoyances could get squashed just long enough to let the Lord invade every crevice of our hearts and lives. I would imagine some sparks of revival may be fanned in to full fledged flames if we could just grab hold of that.
Oh Lord, invade me.
GB.... I love it. Thank you for your interaction.
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