The longest introduction ever

I've had something on my heart for quite a while now. When it first hit me, I was incredibly drawn to it and I wanted to start writing it instantly. I sent emails out to some people that God has used in incredible ways to influence and lead me spiritually and I got some great responses. I pulled those emails up, got a fresh cup of coffee, and sat down to begin pouring everything out.

But nothing came. I awkwardly typed out a couple of paragraphs but ALWAYS hit a wall, much like the scene in the movie "Secret Window" where Johnny Depp furiously taps the delete key while mumbling, "we don't… write… crap..."

My Best friend and I had a conversation about what annoys us about certain "writing styles" in some blogs that we read. We both, through one way or another, came to the point of realization that we are just uncomfortable when people assume authority, point fingers and/or "drop knowledge" on us. We both then started to talk about the way we want to share (whether in blogs or any aspect of our lives) and our desire to do it from a humble place of encouragement and the sharing of our journey and struggles.

About a month ago, God started causing me to look at an obsession with "doing". You can look all around and see it. It is in our personal lives as Christians, it is in our churches, and it is also in the culture that surrounds us, spiritual or not.

The next three posts won't be challenging you or the church. The next three posts will be sharing where I was challenged. They will be sharing what my spiritual leaders/influencers shared with me when I was so caught up in "doing" that I had forgotten the reasons that an obsession with it will ruin me.

So…I believe that will suffice for a long winded intro…

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Downward Mobility

"And these three think they can get into heaven by dressing like the wisemen!"

When I think about Jesus, He is portrayed in my mind as kind of a hero. I mean…in essence He is the biggest hero of all time, right? I mean He is THE savior. But when I think , "hero", I think of him as the way a kid looks up at a fireman or something, in a "ohh I want to be like that someday!" kind of way.

I strongly desire to model my life after Jesus' selflessness and humility. But one thing that causes me to smile when I notice it in our savior is of a rebel he was.

Maybe it's the mischievous side of me, but I wish that I could have been present when some self righteous Pharisees came around and Jesus (who had the authority) dropped some new covenant knowledge on them.

This is one of my favorites:

"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean."
Matthew 23:25-26

When I read things like that, I wish there was someone next to me to high five, and I find myself just clenching up and feeling the pain of the Pharisees. I know it is probably a horrible attitude to have towards it, but don't you just love seeing something like that happen? Like if your boss is just a jerk and absolutely wrong, and when his superior comes in and just lays down the law? I'm sorry..but I love it. And I know you secretly do too.

At Cti music ministries, if you are part of a team (at least within the last few years) you have without a doubt been through a seminar on the first day of training called "The essence of Salvation." It is where the president of cti, David Lanning, simply goes through a different look at what our salvation and faith is formed on. The hour and a half leaves some people in tears at the beauty of it all and without a doubt leaves everyone in a very contemplative mood over the beauty of what was done for us.

There is a term that he uses a lot in the seminar, and he  calls it "Downward Mobility", in which everything is stripped away until we are left at the very core and able to see that we didn't have to reach him, but it was our God who comes down to us.

I think of the tower of Babel. Even though they were completely wrong in building it to be equal with God, they got it all wrong in more than that way.

God never asked us to earn our way into heaven or eternal life. He sent his son to save us. I think of calling 911 and how they send you an ambulance, they don't say "oh okay..we'll see you when you get here! Good luck!"

Now, we don't get into heaven by playing board games either…But we will never be able to earn our way in like the Pharisees believed.

How many of us are in that same boat? Whether it's just misconception or something in our hearts that we just can't let go of?

I constantly find myself trying to earn love.

I am constantly trying to earn my salvation.

Again, there is something to be said for the cleansing of the "outside", but if we never grasp that the "inside of the cup and dish" was cleansed for us 2000 years ago, nothing at all will be clean.

I want to begin grasping the downward mobility and the reality that I will never be able to work my way up.

How has God shown this to you? I would love to hear.

He is mighty to save; let's let him do it,

-joe

"The resting from work was more than just cessation of work but also a proposed time to reflect
and honor the God who completed the greater work upon which everything else is built.
Today we see people busier than ever in all walks of life without the eternal impact.
Look at any other religion and you will always fine self effort and work."
-Allen Joines