I was so so blessed to attend a fabulous retreat this past weekend with fellow sisters in Christ. I think we all need retreats and times, and I'm especially grateful with small children! Time away gives me fresh perspective as a parent and wife, and I come home filled and ready to love on my family. After my spirit filled "drenched" weekend here is what God has for me to share so pull up a chair and get ready for a challenge. for this story I'm going to use the term "box" which may take on different meanings for all of us so bear with my analogy.
I fully believe that whether you are Christian or not if you step out of your comfort zone you are therefore stretched, and you grow. As a Christian (Christ follower, Bible Believer) I want to be stretched to draw nearer to God...but this means stepping out of my comfort zone. I don't think during Paul's ministry he was ever comfortable, and he, with God, changed the world.
I think we put God in a box. We take him out when we are comfortable like bible study, church, And quiet time, yet when it seems uncomfortable we put him in our "box" and shut him in. But what's crazy still is in these places even church we keep our mouths shut, our hands next to our side, sit and stand only when prompted...and woe to the person dancing, kneeling or raising their hands in worship and praise. We are so afraid of being judged or becoming that "crazy Christian" that we refuse to step out of our box even in worship when we are there to worship together. Now I'm not saying all congregations are like this, but my conservative upbringing and present situation aren't comfortable or have not been exposed to different types of worship. We also are so afraid of turning someone away from Jesus that we better not get too "crazy" or we will scare them. Souls are won because of Jesus. Because of Gods love for us, because of the cross and His blood that covers our sin. We the church scare more people away because of our human sinful nature than being filled with the spirit, praising and admonishing Him.
People are drawn to Jesus. People as a whole are hurting and longing to be loved. God is love therefore if He is in us (accepted Him as your Lord and Savior) His love will transfer through you to others. Have you ever just been drawn to people and just want to be around them? They have a glow and are truly interested in YOU? This is God in them. God is interested in YOU and constantly wants to be closer to you. He wants to love on you, that is why we are drawn to such people.
Ok sorry I went off track a bit. At a youth retreat my brother, Mark once did this "skit" that has always left an impact on me. Mark starts off sitting at a table, in a quiet environment with his bible on the table. Mark prays and another person enters the room as a symbol of Jesus. Mark opens his bible and starts to spend time with Jesus. Marks cell phone rings and he starts ignoring Jesus, Mark is invited to go somewhere else so he starts to pack up to leave. Jesus then tries to follow Mark out the door because he still wants to hang out. Mark isn't so impressed and tells Jesus to stay home. Jesus continues to follow Mark, and Mark gets more and more upset trying to push Jesus back. Mark ends up getting so upset because he wants to leave without Jesus that he nails him back up onto a cross so he will stay. Then Mark walks out leaving Jesus on the cross.
I'm may not have given the skit justice because it is really powerful. I share it because it really explains how we keep God/Jesus/Holy Spirit in a box. We take them out when we are comfortable. We hang Him back on the cross, when He is alive and wants to be with us. He is to be shared. We aren't being stretched because we aren't stepping out of our comfort zones. He wants to be with us all the time. In our conversations people! and Everywhere we go.
He commissions us to "Go and make disciples" we arent dicipling if we keep Jesus in a box. Preaching to myself here friends. I get this nudge from God just to talk to people and I don't because I'm afraid of rejection. All God wants me to do is love on them, and I fail him constantly. He is commissioning us to do more.
So get stretched, whether it's raising your hands at church, bringing a meal to someone in need, making a phone call to a hurting friend, saying sorry, asking someone you don't know what they are passionate about...the list goes on. Where in your life is God in a box? Are you leaving him at home or at church?
