DISTORTED

DISTORTED

                “… that’s not what I had in mind…” was the quote that came off our lips at the same moment!  We were having our breakfast date at McD’s, discussing life and plans.  It was a meeting of minds that was almost scary.  But we were not speaking our own minds; but, rather, trying to get inside His head.  We were both expressing a desire to be in His will, to serve Him, to do His work.

                “… my dad (Ed) never liked organized religion…”  Melanie bemused.  I agreed, adding, “… I remember him, sitting in his shop, drinking beer, and listening to Gospel music on his LP player…”  (and, my mind quickly flashed back to the day Ed announced that he wanted me to baptize him at the Elk river)    Then, Melanie added, “…I remember once when I was in the house, unknown to Dad, having forgotten something as we were leaving for church, and I overheard him praying, out loud, over his breakfast.  You and mom were in the car…”

                Downstream, two generations, Ed’s grand-daughter, Sarah, and her husband, David, struggle to understand how they fit in.  For years, David chased a dream to be a Contemporary-Christian musical artist.  Last visit with them, David discussed a principle-paper he is writing, life principles, out of which to live a godly life!  (I am looking forward to seeing the finished paper)  And, Sarah, serves with an inner-city ministry, home-schools her kids, decorates with Christian art …  But, they agonize over where to do “church” and shop around, dissatisfied.

                I think on my parents, how they poured their lives into a crumbling church that is strong on doctrine and short on, well …  My widowed mother, Millie, now lives with her sister in another state, attending a well-established church that seemingly is pouring back into her life some health.  But, I am not at all sure that I would do well there?!

                I wonder about paradigms and constructs in our minds, and how they measure up to the ideal!  We can analyze the Scriptures, and try to reconstruct the “pattern” we see there.  But, as in the first time He came among us, we so misunderstood His mind.  And, in our ignorance and arrogance, we begin to believe that we have evolved beyond their immaturity?!  I have to honestly and humbly admit personal limitations.

                Friends at work, fellow-believers, have a neat little faith-package of Israel-Forever, Impossibility-of-Apostasy, and Imminent-Return.  I see on FB friends whose faith is “progressive” and “purposeful” with emphases on ecology and politics.  Then, I read of the plight of Coptic Christians and their faith response to persecution.  Who is closer to the mind of Christ?  (well, me, of course! Ha!)

                At church, I listen as the preacher, Mike, emphasizes, “… there is more…” as he tries to steer the little country church back to its Holiness roots.  It has become a community-church with a hodge-podge of B’s, M’s, HR’s, and …  Surely this is a spiritual enterprise!  But, there is “more” and then there is 1Cor.13.

                I will start from a base of love, faith, and the Spirit.  God help us.  “Waiting” is surely part of the answer?!  “Savior, like a shepherd lead us …”