accentuate the positive
The first thing I have to say is that this post is for the Believer. If you're not a believer in Christ it doesn't mean that you have to stop reading...but, I'm writing this post for myself and others who have accepted Christ for who He is, and try desperately to follow His leading. When I say "try desperately" I mean, maybe you feel as I do, that this life is a beautiful, devastating, rewarding, tragic journey that tempts us to turn away from Him every...well let's say every five minutes or so.
I've gotta begin my thoughts by saying how much I love Jesus, and His bride the Church. If you've never heard of the reference about the Church being Christ's bride, check out Revelation 19:6-9 where John's vision about the wedding feast of the Lamb is beautifully shared. There's more in Ephesians 5 where husbands are urged to love their wives just as Christ loves the Church and gave himself up for her.
I'm no genius, theologian, or scholar. You're not going to read anything new here. I'm just a member of the Body looking for others who will look at what's good about it with me. I've read enough posts, tweets, articles, and blogs that have done just the opposite. The Church imploding on itself, if you will. I'm tired of it. The past few months have stirred up a righteous ire about it. Enough! We are an imperfect people, hypocrites to be sure, failures at all that I've written below for centuries. Here's my question...how many of us are motivated by guilt? It works in the short term, spawns action, creates discontent, but over the long haul it can make us capable of a lot of aimless introspection. Now, I'm not an "all or nothing" type of person. I know that we are called to repentance by having what is wrong pointed out. However, my reason for writing is to humbly ask the Believer to enfold the fingers of blame (that we point so very easily at one another these days) into hands of prayer. There are enough entities out there to do the latter for us. Ask God to do the hard work of purification in us that our empty words cannot do for one another. Can we look at what's right in our world (within the church) and keep it up?
Here's why I love the Church, and I'll do everything in my power to remain positive in an era that wants nothing better than to strip every hope that I could possibly have in it.
The Church is my mainstay for encouragement. Let's face it, this world brings trouble of all kinds. Every person has had their share of suffering and if you're still breathing you'll face more tomorrow. I love how I can go to my local church and find what I'm missing in my daily life that's a little less connected to the Body. I find hope. I find peace. I find restoration for a soul that's been "talked down to" all week by myself and the society in which I live. I struggle with depressive tendencies and I know what the dark looks like. I find light and life in my church. I hear truth and I allow it to soak in to the pores of my heart and mind and exchange itself for the lies that lurk there.
The Church is holy and blameless in the eyes of Christ. She's been purchased by the blood of the purest Lamb. God sees her miraculously through the lens of Christ. She will be reunited with Him in the end. He longs for closeness and intimacy, and is met with open arms and willing hearts. He asks for justice and mercy, and is met with compassion, humility and a depth of kindness that has changed the trajectory of many weary souls.
The Church is about renewing sin-wrecked lives, and restoring loss. Creativity abounds in the life of the Church. There are ministries for the sick, the recovering addict, the bereaved family member, the orphan, the widow, the barren woman, the lame, the deaf, the outcast. If you've got a problem (and you do), there is a place to find healing within the doors of a church. Millions are trying to meet the needs of the communities around them and many succeed.
The Church is for us. The true Church of Jesus Christ is not looking for perfection. It can't be found this side of Heaven. It's for us. Me and you. I don't need to provide a list of all the different kinds of people you can be, you know who you are. Guess what? The Church needs who you are. You were created to add to it's color. To enhance it's diversity. To be transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit and help the Church out reach it's outreach. There is so much to do, and who knows how much time to get it done. Let us choose to be used up for the good of others. There's opportunity around every street corner, down every alley, in everyone's backyard...there's something or 100 somethings created for you alone to do.
I've gotta begin my thoughts by saying how much I love Jesus, and His bride the Church. If you've never heard of the reference about the Church being Christ's bride, check out Revelation 19:6-9 where John's vision about the wedding feast of the Lamb is beautifully shared. There's more in Ephesians 5 where husbands are urged to love their wives just as Christ loves the Church and gave himself up for her.
I'm no genius, theologian, or scholar. You're not going to read anything new here. I'm just a member of the Body looking for others who will look at what's good about it with me. I've read enough posts, tweets, articles, and blogs that have done just the opposite. The Church imploding on itself, if you will. I'm tired of it. The past few months have stirred up a righteous ire about it. Enough! We are an imperfect people, hypocrites to be sure, failures at all that I've written below for centuries. Here's my question...how many of us are motivated by guilt? It works in the short term, spawns action, creates discontent, but over the long haul it can make us capable of a lot of aimless introspection. Now, I'm not an "all or nothing" type of person. I know that we are called to repentance by having what is wrong pointed out. However, my reason for writing is to humbly ask the Believer to enfold the fingers of blame (that we point so very easily at one another these days) into hands of prayer. There are enough entities out there to do the latter for us. Ask God to do the hard work of purification in us that our empty words cannot do for one another. Can we look at what's right in our world (within the church) and keep it up?
Here's why I love the Church, and I'll do everything in my power to remain positive in an era that wants nothing better than to strip every hope that I could possibly have in it.
The Church is my mainstay for encouragement. Let's face it, this world brings trouble of all kinds. Every person has had their share of suffering and if you're still breathing you'll face more tomorrow. I love how I can go to my local church and find what I'm missing in my daily life that's a little less connected to the Body. I find hope. I find peace. I find restoration for a soul that's been "talked down to" all week by myself and the society in which I live. I struggle with depressive tendencies and I know what the dark looks like. I find light and life in my church. I hear truth and I allow it to soak in to the pores of my heart and mind and exchange itself for the lies that lurk there.
The Church is holy and blameless in the eyes of Christ. She's been purchased by the blood of the purest Lamb. God sees her miraculously through the lens of Christ. She will be reunited with Him in the end. He longs for closeness and intimacy, and is met with open arms and willing hearts. He asks for justice and mercy, and is met with compassion, humility and a depth of kindness that has changed the trajectory of many weary souls.
The Church is about renewing sin-wrecked lives, and restoring loss. Creativity abounds in the life of the Church. There are ministries for the sick, the recovering addict, the bereaved family member, the orphan, the widow, the barren woman, the lame, the deaf, the outcast. If you've got a problem (and you do), there is a place to find healing within the doors of a church. Millions are trying to meet the needs of the communities around them and many succeed.
The Church is for us. The true Church of Jesus Christ is not looking for perfection. It can't be found this side of Heaven. It's for us. Me and you. I don't need to provide a list of all the different kinds of people you can be, you know who you are. Guess what? The Church needs who you are. You were created to add to it's color. To enhance it's diversity. To be transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit and help the Church out reach it's outreach. There is so much to do, and who knows how much time to get it done. Let us choose to be used up for the good of others. There's opportunity around every street corner, down every alley, in everyone's backyard...there's something or 100 somethings created for you alone to do.
"Don't be misled: No one makes a fool of God. What a person plants, he will harvest.
The person who plants selfishness, ignoring the needs of others--ignoring God!--harvests a crop of weeds. All he'll have to show for his life is weeds! But the one who plants in response to God,
letting God's Spirit do the growth work in him, harvests a crop of real life, eternal life.
So let's not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time we will harvest a good crop
if we don't give up, or quit. Right now, therefore, every time we get the chance, let us work for the
benefit of all, starting with the people closest to us in the community of faith."
Galatians 6:8-10, The Message
Angie--Thanks for writing this. I love your stand on what is positive and hopeful. I couldn't have said it better! I love that you're willing to be reflective and admit shortcomings of the Body, but also point out all of the good and true things that the church has done throughout the centuries. I agree that this gets lost in the landscape of today's news cycle, but I believe that for every one careless Christian, there are 1,000 who are venturing to do amazing things in the name of LOVE. God bless you for your courage and intelligent words!
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