- Feb 24, 2011
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Church is not a verb. I guess that is the reason I have a dislike for "doing" it--I love it, but "doing" or "playing" church, just rubs me the wrong way. Sometimes, it's so boring! But today I have a new appreciation for it.
We're starting a study in First Thessalonians and Paul is winding up for what I consider the grind or rub of what would appear to be preparation for having patience for long and drawn out times of the church age where we all seem to be banging our head against the wall in repeating the same old elementary principles of Christ. Again, I love it, but that is what Paul called it ("the elementary principles of Christ"), as if it could ever be looked at as anything but good and wonderful. His point was then, even then, that we need to "press on." Sometimes in church, I just want to stand up and yell it-- "Why do we have to keep going around in circles, repeating the same stuff?!--Enough already!"
But, as I said, today I have a new appreciation for it.
In explaining the grind of all these years that Paul was just beginning with the Thessalonians, our pastor sited 1 Thessalonians 5:20 "Do not despise prophecies."...which is a big part of the rub for me. During these past millennia, not only do some seem to want to not "press on", there are even those who would disarm the church of its god-given gifts, as if to retard our progress. And then it occurred to me--or if I might be so bold as to say, the Holy Spirit spoke to me and reminded me of the "type of blindness" placed upon Israel "until the fullness of the times of the gentiles has come"; and the design of the Temple which architecture depicts us going through dry spells or peaks and valley, or as it is written there: "from strength to strength" as we pass the pillars of the Temple proceeding toward the Holy of Hollies (God). So, it's part of the plan, allowing time for every generation of the gentile nations and peoples to come to God, as Paul said, "each in his own order."
So, where it might be nice to come to know God, and then bam, bam, bam, click through things until the end, without having the patience to wait on each next person and generation...we actually have some built in free time, time to recreate, time to play and time to work, time to serve, to help, and time to witness all that God is doing through the pages of history.
So, patience. But do pardon me if I occasionally stand up and yell!
We're starting a study in First Thessalonians and Paul is winding up for what I consider the grind or rub of what would appear to be preparation for having patience for long and drawn out times of the church age where we all seem to be banging our head against the wall in repeating the same old elementary principles of Christ. Again, I love it, but that is what Paul called it ("the elementary principles of Christ"), as if it could ever be looked at as anything but good and wonderful. His point was then, even then, that we need to "press on." Sometimes in church, I just want to stand up and yell it-- "Why do we have to keep going around in circles, repeating the same stuff?!--Enough already!"
But, as I said, today I have a new appreciation for it.
In explaining the grind of all these years that Paul was just beginning with the Thessalonians, our pastor sited 1 Thessalonians 5:20 "Do not despise prophecies."...which is a big part of the rub for me. During these past millennia, not only do some seem to want to not "press on", there are even those who would disarm the church of its god-given gifts, as if to retard our progress. And then it occurred to me--or if I might be so bold as to say, the Holy Spirit spoke to me and reminded me of the "type of blindness" placed upon Israel "until the fullness of the times of the gentiles has come"; and the design of the Temple which architecture depicts us going through dry spells or peaks and valley, or as it is written there: "from strength to strength" as we pass the pillars of the Temple proceeding toward the Holy of Hollies (God). So, it's part of the plan, allowing time for every generation of the gentile nations and peoples to come to God, as Paul said, "each in his own order."
So, where it might be nice to come to know God, and then bam, bam, bam, click through things until the end, without having the patience to wait on each next person and generation...we actually have some built in free time, time to recreate, time to play and time to work, time to serve, to help, and time to witness all that God is doing through the pages of history.
So, patience. But do pardon me if I occasionally stand up and yell!
