Thursday, September 13, 2007
Adventures in Missiong the Point
To steal a title from Tony Campolo and Brian McLaren, I think often our lives become adventures in missing the point. The issues that we make significant and of greatest importance are often issues that confuse the call of God. The more I travel this journey of faith, the more I become convinced that buildings, budgets, and statistics are a waste of time if we are not staying focused on the work of God. So what is the work of God? I think the principle work of God is building relationship. Relationship with God first, and then as a product of our relationship with God, others. Not just the people who are like us, but with all people. People of different race, economic group, sexual preference, political outlook, or any other difference. The point of this whole thing called life is not to create division, but to build relationship with all people and God.
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It is a flaw of human nature to not see and respect the differences of others. It is also a flaw in human nature to not honor our personal differences, too often we use differences to create a formidable barrier in our relationship with God, our relationship with our family, and with our relationship with other people. Relationships are a constant ebb and flow - works in progress. Personally, I miss the point by being busy in the "doing" of life. Learning to take the time to reflect and enjoy the moment is not a natural skill (for me) but a learned behavior. Accepting grace "gracefully" is not a natural skill for me either. Working on the first and primary relationship (with God) means (and I quote a sermon I heard) "Feed Yourself" and do it with it purposefully and with the intent to have others feed themselves. Focusing my attention on the relationship, "my work in progress", with God I accept responsibility to take daily in 'baby bites' to feed myself. I created my own division with God. I created this due to my flawed choices - my sin, as I feed myself I am "more hungry" for relationship with God. But it is a good hungry. The grace and forgiveness that God offers me, and offers to all of us, for our sins, opens the opportunity to build meaningful relationships as you stated... with all people and God. Don't miss the point by focusing too outward or focusing too inward...focus on what matters.
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