In general, I think it is safe to say that the world has had a profound and devestating impact upon each of us. For myself, in this season, I`ve determined that many of the avenues I could choose to grow, and in which I inherently require growth, are essentially abandoning habits and ideals in the name of truth. It sucks, but we were born sinful and messed up and in response I`ve developed coping habits that are perhaps good. But our okay gets tragically in the way of God`s great. 

 

    It might be unprecidented since I am as far from a theologin as Christians come, but might I present a startling reality that I`ve been discovering? It is so essential to Christian purpose and so neglected, at least in the communities I have been a part of up until this point. Brace yourself folks. Maybe throw up a quick prayer that you won`t judge me too hardcore...

 

      The most important part of the gospel isn`t that Jesus loves us. Now, even if you don`t agree with this radical teenager, stick me out, because even if I am smack wrong - this is NOT me trying to be right, it`s me trying to find truth. Obviously obviously obviously, in the bible it says that God loves us. Looking at the whole Jesus on the cross ordeal it is pretty clear to me that God must have untainted, furios, powerful, whole-hearted, sincere, passionate love for us that we can`t even understand. So, it isn`t outrageous that the core slogan of Western Christianity declares that `Jesus Loves You!` The discrepancy I recognize between this being the supposedly central message of Christianity and what I read about in the bible is that it isn`t all about me. I am the subject in that central message. And I hate to break it to you, forgive me if this trips you up a little, but it`s not all about us. If it were, would Jesus have told us to diminish oursleves so that we could each be as high a God to ourselves ratio as possible? 

So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

-1 Corinthians 10:41

 

   I ask questions like why don`t I feel satisfied all the time in Jesus? Why does he still allow so much suffering? His love seems too tough for me to handle. How could God creating us into this, this world filled with so much torture, even be loving. But perhaps, it has something to do with the fact that it isn`t about me. Jesus does love me! I don`t want to belittle the expanse of His intimate affection towards us. However, it seems to me as if the fact of the matter is that Jesus loves me so that I will expand His Kingdom. So that I will preach His name to the nations. So that His redemptive love is displayed. And ultimately, so that my life could bring Him glory. I don`t think His love is all about us. I don`t think His grace is all about us. It`s about the one who wasn`t born broken, who doesn`t deserve hell, who isn`t flawed and powerless and corrupted and rebellious. Christianity IS ABOUT the glory of Jesus and through Jesus the glory of the Father. 

 

     Everyday this week I have heard a visiting preacher from Rwanda speak twice. Once a day at an evangelistic crusade and once a day at a revival service for our church`s body of believers. My team and I started to ask questions about what was being preached. To be totally honest, I was pretty frustrated that all these people were gathered around looking for hope and all the preacher talked about was how God would bring prosperity to his followers. Where was the message about the love? That`s what people really need right? We need God to come reverse some of the numbness that's consumed us from years of submssion to a perverted culture. But the preacher talked about food. He talked about houses. He talked about coming up from under and being restored. What part of convince people to give their heart to the Lord 101 class did this guy sleep through? Luckily I was blessed by a conversation with him a couple nights ago and he helped us to understand. We didn`t ask him about it, but he must`ve seen our unmaskable confusion as he taught. He explained that these were messages for the people here and not for people who have all they need. The people of Africa, he explained, need to see God move, they need to see Him provide. 

 

     I thought about it for a long time, and I don`t have an opinion on whether or not his preaching was sound, but God did reveal something to me. In Africa they preach that God is the Provider because their stomachs are empty and their essential needs are scarcely met. In North America we preach love because we lack, well, you guessed it, LOVE! And so without falling out of acknowledging and praising God for His abounding love, I think we need to pray that we would fall in love with our God who desires glory as well. Certainly, if we fall in love with the God of the bible more completely it will be easier to chip away pieces of our pride and to build the KINGDOM as commanded. I know that I struggle with a self-centered mindset. In our culture we can easily find ourselves with a lengthy list of rights and deservances which leads to being so consumed with our own needs, desires and oppurtunities that the authentic selfless message of the gospel gets overlooked. We are little. We deserve pain, death and hell and yet, there is grace. I, for one, need to start acting like someone saved instead of some tragic victim of my own faults. I want to adopt a Kingdom mindset that starts with God`s glory, has a lot to do with others -the poor, the desperate and the unsaved- and ends with God`s glory, me included very minimally and only in complete submission to His greater plan. Call it laying down my pride. Call it crazy... but consider that maybe it makes a lot of things make more sense. Maybe it's closer to His truth???