Be Still...

I hated those words as a child. I would much rather be outside doing something. It didn't matter what, as long as I could be active. I could play baseball or cowboys. A football game always perked me up. Hunting was my number one choice. Riding my bike got the juices flowing. I loved to be outside, doing anything. I loved to do. I hated to be still.

It seemed to me that being still was such a waste of time. I mean, really, you could do anything. Why should I just sit and waste time?

I admit that texts like, “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 37.7) perplexed me and caused me great consternation. There are so many things to see and try to understand when you sit still. I found great difficulty sitting still.

As I have reflected upon the state of my church and the state of Christianity recently, I have come to understand more fully that too few people know how to sit still in the presence of God. We are so busy “doing” churchy things and involving ourselves in everything that we just cannot “be” like Jesus. People are so busy with all of the things that need to be done that they spend all of their time doing and far too little time being.

We wonder why our churches do not look like communities of faith and love. The answer is that we are so busy doing, that we cannot be Jesus. The result is that our relationships are shallow and do little to transform us. Our worship is done to our glory and to make us feel good rather than to encounter God in a transforming and renewing meeting. We do not because we are not.

Our inability to wait before God to allow his still small voice to transform us has robbed us of his character. Our unwillingness to disengage from the frenetic pace of our world to “waste time” before and with God has weakened us to the point where we cannot hear his voice.

I have been reminded by his Holy Spirit of the story of Mary and Martha. Martha was so caught up in making the perfect visit that she missed the quiet time with Jesus that he craved. She wore herself out doing that she could not be with Jesus. Far too many times I identify with Martha.

Forgive me Lord. Help me to seek out those quiet times when I can see you at work and can witness to what you are up to.

 

Halfway Best

No big scripture reference today...

Just pure pondering... You know those random thoughts that roll through my head that cause me to pause and say, "Hmmmm."

I have been thinking a great deal about the faith we live and the way that we seek renewal. It seems to me that many churches and church people SAY that they want to see renewal come. They think that they want their church to be everything that God wants it to be. We often say that we really want to see God's Holy Spirit move in the church as he did in the olden days.

Honestly, I wonder.

The prescription for renewal has not changed. The effort needed to see the power of the presence of God has not diminished. The simple things we must do to receive the fullness of God in us has not changed. We must give God our BEST.

Oftentimes, I see people (people who should know better) offering to God less than their best. They offer him their halfway best. Rather than fast and pray, they only pray. Rather than gather in corporate worship and prayer, they are content to worship at home. Instead of going all out in their personal pursuit of God, we only pursue him halfway. We offer him our halfway best.

We long to hear the voice of God, yet we don't take the time to listen to him. We hunger to see his Holy Spirit move in worship, yet we do not come nor do we prepare to hear his voice. We say we want to see the church make a difference in the world yet we do not involve ourselves in his mission. We offer God our halfway best.

I am reminded of the NFL's ProBowl game a couple of years ago. In that game, the stars of the NFL only gave about half an effort. It was painfully obvious, as I watched that telecast, that they weren't really trying. They were only trying about halfway. I got disgusted and turned off the television. For the next week, sports-talk radio lambasted the players. Fans called and were furious that their favorite players tanked in that game. They did not accept the football players halfway best.

How much less pleased is God of our halfway best?

Just my pondering today...