Heart Felt

Recently, my friend Strider included a very poignant video in his blog. It is one that fulfills all the criteria as a great video worth viewing. It has good music, a touch of humor and some deep thoughtfulness. It provoked me to jealously. Here is Strider’s video. Enjoy.

I think I can do that, too. I think I have found a video that captures all the high marks of a great 4 minute experience. Poignancy, thoughtfulness, etc. So here is my entry. This was sent to me by my great friend, Pastor Looney in Portland.

Take His Call: Make the Appointment

If you were God and you wanted to love on your people – I mean more than ever, more than the traditional level, with an increased level of intimacy, how would you go about getting their attention?

God knows that people are peculiar. His chosen method of getting our attention is to bless us. I think we parents get that strategy from Him. I love blessing my children. And I do it with the purest of love intentions. We all do. But isn’t it ironic when sometimes our outpouring of generosity ends up equipping them with the very things that help them to be more independent. I believe that God knows that happens with Him. I am really glad that even though he knows that, he doesn’t give up on that strategy.

So, what would you do?

Would you allow your people to realize that their independence, their resources, their ingenuity, their perseverance, yes even their faithfulness has caused them to distance themselves from you? Would you allow a season of struggling, trusting that your people would come looking for you?

Lately I have heard from several people that I love and admire. As we talked, they helped me come to the conclusion that there is a common thread running through Christianity right now. It is a thread of lack of intimacy in their lives – our lives - due to some very real, legitimate circumstances. These are some of the most faithful people I know. Yet I believe that God is showing us that faithfulness is wonderful, but it is not intimacy. Sure, love is faithfulness, but faithfulness is not love. Love is love. One-on-one time. And God’s message is that He wants the one-on-one time with each one of us. It is silly, having fun time. What you enjoy, He enjoys. He is calling each of us just to spend some time. Is He getting a busy signal from you? Is He getting a recording that says you will get back to Him later?

Have you been burdened lately with important things? Let’s do an experiment. Take a half day and devote it to just you and God. Concentrate on the just two things during that time. 1) that He is with you on every thought. Keep turning your thoughts back to him. Every time your mind wanders, just refocus it back to Him. No need to apologize, just come back to Him. 2) After you have briefly given all your current concerns to Him, let all your thoughts be about the present and your love for Him. Take Him for a pleasant walk, or shopping, or even a drive. Let Him show you sights and scenes or people. Ask Him to show you something that He loves about each person you see. And express back your love for Him.

My sense of this is that you will feel a relief of burdens. The sky will be lighter and you will feel more peaceful, more joyful. And, quite probably, you will find later that some of those burdens will have self-corrected.

So think about it. If this works that way, and I know it will, then what a way to problem solve! Do it again in a few days. Then do it again.

Here is what I have come to realize. We are entering into a time when our entire society is becoming downcast. Hope in a bright future by way of government, business, inheritance, hard work, perseverance, etc. is evaporating. How can God get these people to turn to Him for Hope except by showing them a hopeful faithful, loving church. We show the wrong message if we show the traditional church clean living message, or the traditional conservative behavior image. But if we show them a love of our Father, who looks after us, not because we deserve it, but because – we actively love each other, then they will see something they will not have an answer for.