Here’s the Plan, Part 1

OK, I still haven’t set out what I wanted to set out in the first post, and with good fortune, I’ll get to it this time (Ed.Note:  I didn’t.). The whole idea here is to set out some sort of way that I can follow that will help me follow God better.  To put it in broader terms, I want to live a life where I can see some growth in spiritual things. 

I  want a relationship with God that doesn’t fall to emotional pieces when the slightest thing goes wrong.  I want a joy and peace about me…not that up-tight shtick up my butt thing that gets me and everyone around me stressed out.  (Do you think it’s OK for Christians to say “butt?”  Oh.)  I don’t want to fall for that same old sin over and over again.  I’d like to see some improvement there.

And I’ve come to a conclusion.  I can’t do it.  I have thought positive.  I have pretended.  I have even believed in myself (Am I the only one who absolutely hates that phrase?) Then I have Not believed in myself.  I have tried, given up, and tried again.  I have put together plan after plan, strategy after strategy.  And I’m pretty convinced that out of all this, I’ve improved…pretty much not at all.

For those of you who can blithely follow God, talking to Him, knowing and doing His will without being a stuck-up jackass (not sure if Christians can say “jackass” either) to those of us who can’t and don’t, I congratulate you and will see you off now with my sincerest best wishes and hope you’ll someday let me know how you do it, because I want to be like you.  Seriously, your life is one I aspire to.   I hope you recognize how fortunate you are.
 

Or, feel free to stick around and watch me stumble around.  It might be worth some entertainment value.
 

Ted Turner famously once said that Christianity is for losers which caused a big kerfuffle in the media from the religious rank and file…many of whom without love,  without grace, without class and without thinking  proved his point.  Though he later apologized for saying it, I think Turner was right. 

Someone who breezes through life, winning at everything and succeeding in all they do, don’t seem to realize they are in desperate need.  Those of us who stumble around, unpopular, unattractive, and not that bright are constantly reminded that we are lacking and we are much quicker to cry out for help

And that’s seemingly what God has in mind.  I think He wants people to admit they don’t have it all together.  That they can agree with Turner that we are indeed “losers” and that we look for a winner to help us out.  And we find the one Winner, whose name is Jesus, and in Him we find the help we need and win through Him.  Forever and ever, Amen.

But what happens when we don’t?

And that’s where I stand.  And I want to try something to see if maybe I can change the circumstances.

A few thoughts on what I don’t want.  Honestly, I don’t want to chart my own course and get after it.  Seriously, God has a plan for my life?  OK, good.  I want to get on His plan and not try to get Him on mine.  As if. 

I want it real and authentic.  Don’t have time for fables and fairy tales. 

I was watching a video done by Judah Smith at City Church in Kirkland, WA.  (I don’t go to the church…but was recommended by a friend to watch some of his videos.)  For me the point of the video centered on the relationship between a pre-toddler and his loving father who was encouraging the child to walk.

I’ve been to thousands of sermons and I’ve heard that example used at least a few times before, but for some reason, it resonated like never before.  For some reason I was struck that this picture is the core of our relationship with God.

Here’s this little dude(tte) who’s just trying to begin to toddle…just trying to get up and take a few steps across the kitchen floor, and there’s daddy, arms out ready to catch, excited, encouraging, urging his youngster to do something new and exciting…and a little bit scary.  What’s he saying?  “Come to Daddy.  Come on.  I gotcha.  You won’t fall.  I’ll catch ya.  Come to me.” 

Could there be a more encouraging, loving, safer picture in our learning experience than that one?  I can’t think of one.

Look at his face.  It’s total focus on his child.  You think he’s thinking about his rent or job at that moment?  No, total focus on the child.  Love.  Encouragement.  Excitement.  Affection, acceptance, affirmation, commitment, care, closeness, nurturing…

Look at the child’s face.  A bit scared, a bit unsure.  But when they see Daddy’s face, I’ll submit to you that there’s a power there that literally draws them to their father.  We are wired for the need of acceptance, of parental love, of closeness and nurturing.   (I’ve seen people who did not get these from their parents and to this day…decades later…they’re still trying to deal with the holes in their soul from this lack.)   And when a person is there who can fill that void, we are drawn to them like iron to a magnet.
 

So the child stumbles forward.  And falls.  And Daddy’s arms swoop down and gently catch the child.  And with love and tenderness, He sets his child back up, and begins the exact same routine…same expression, same words, same desires.  No condemnation. No impatience.  No disappointment.  No insults…these are never the tools of love.   (Those are the tools of empty, needy souls who desire others to join them in their life of despair.)
 

And again and again the child goes to their father.  Always smiling,  Always eager, always willing.  And daddy always loving, patient, affirming, desiring, etc., etc., etc.

So, that’s going to be the foundation of this blog’s definition of our relationship with God.  I’m not going to see Him as the big ranger stud with the 150 pound pack and bulging calves leaping up a mountainside, wondering I can’t keep up.  I’m going to see Him as a loving, caring, interactive, patient, nurturing father, asking me to come to Him.  “Follow me.”A step  here. “Follow me.”  Another two steps there.  “Come to me.” Another step here. 

How many steps can I do?  You know what, when I’ve got to that kind of dad, I’m going to do as many as I can and follow Him as far as my spiritually toddling legs will carry.  If my God wants to enter into that kind of caring, nurturing and loving relationship with me, count me in.

I hope this is biblically correct.  I believe that it is.  I am hoping you pray about it and see if it’s true.

What's The Prime Directive?

In Star Trek, Kirk and Spock are always debating the values of different plans to defeat the aliens at hand.  But they always have to consider the Prime Directive.  Why?  Because That's the Most Important Thing.
 

Following God.  Isn’t that the Prime Directive for us earthlings?  I don’t think so, but it’s real close.
 

When God says “Follow Me,” I don’t know about you but I used to think it was like he was this ranger stud with a 150 pound pack and bulging calf muscles, and we were going on a two week hike up the side of a mountain. And off we’d go and after 50 yards, I’m sucking air and in two minutes I need to stop and He was gone, and How On Earth was I ever going to catch up to Him.  I quit.  Game over.  I Lose.  Again. Why do I even try?

Thanks to a series of excellent messages on the grace of God by a guy named Judah Smith, who’s the pastor of City Church, in Kirkland, WA (You can Google him and go to Media.  Maybe start with one from 2011 entitled “Jesus Is Turning Around”), I’m seeing this differently and I’m feeling that there might be a breakthrough coming. 

First it's important and pretty amazing to me to understand that God likes having us around.  He made us, He came to us, He's asking us to come into a relationship with Him.  He's not one to waste His time.

So, it's extraordinarily clear.  God is not looking to get rid of us.  Could He check out of the blue marble called "Earth?"  In a heartbeat.  But it’s pretty clear to me that He is looking for one thing from us.  Only one. 

Money?  No.  God could print all the money he needed.  He could turn a billion solar systems into diamonds and gold.  Slavery?  No.  First, if He wanted slaves, he could have made a heck of a better breed than us.  And what would he need slaves for?  In a blink of an eye he could accomplish more than 10 billion slaves could do in 10 billion years.

In thinking this through for a couple of years I’m pretty sure the one thing that God desires from us is:  Relationship.  That’s it.  To the point where I don’t think He cares about our church attendance, prayer habits, Bible-reading habits, tithing, good deeds Or Anything Else.  Which is good.  Because I stink at these.

All those things are “fruits” of a good relationship with God.  What I’m saying is this:  If you are relating to God and don’t want to go to church…then, don’t go to church.  If you are relating to God and don’t want to pray, then don’t pray.  If you’re relating to God and don’t want to read the Bible, then don’t read the Bible.

Instead, keep in a good, personal, deep loving relationship with God…and then do whatever you want.  I think you’ll find that as you and God hang out with each other, then you will be inspired to do some or all of these things, not out of some disdainful  duty, but out of a heart of joy and thankfulness.  Until it’s a “want to,” don’t do it.

There’s a word here.  Freedom.  He didn’t come to enslave us in a bunch of rules.  And some churches unwittingly try to put us right back into a rules-oriented relationship with God.  And that’s crap.  I’m convinced God came to Set Us Free from All Rules and wants us to be free to choose Him or not.  And after we choose Him, I cannot believe for a moment He’s ready to spring a rules-based relationship on us, after He sent Jesus to remove us from just that.

Jesus SUFFERED for us.  He S.U.F.F.E.R.E.D for us. because he wanted to Set Us Free From Every Rule, Every Day.

What good parent would ever want their children to relate to them through rules and duty?  How shallow and unfulfilling is that?  Do you think God would ever want us to relate to Him in that way?  Heavens no!   If you’re a dad or mom and come home to your kids, do you think you’d like it if your kids came to you because they Want To…or because they Had To?

I’m of the mindset that the One Thing That We Should Do…The  Only Thing we need to do to be right with God is to have a relationship with him through the work done by His son Jesus on the cross.  You want a Prime Directive?  I think that’s it.

You want to know how to do this wrong?  Look at me.  For decades, I’ve been faking it.  Putting on this act like I’m praying a lot more than I am or reading the Bible a lot more than I am or being a lot more spiritual than I am to look good to people.  Instead of relating to God, I’m using God to make myself look superior to people.

How’s that working out?  The people I fool think I’m superior and don’t want to get close to me because I’ve made myself untouchable.  The people who see through the act don’t want to relate because I’m being a jackass and God is not able to get through to me in my pride.  You want a lonely life?  Just follow in these footsteps and see how lonely you can be.

And I can’t get out of this mode.  It’s a trap that’s not helping me nor anybody in my world.  I want out.  I’m a spiritual loser who finally Wants To Follow  God.

And that’s where maybe Mr. Dim Bulb (that’s me) finally might see the light?  I’ll lay out my thoughts on how I think it’s supposed to work and I guess we'll find out together whether it does or doesn’t.

Meet the Spiritual Loser

"Spiritual Loser" is actually a nice way to say it, but it's where I'll start.  Have I led anyone to Jesus in 31 years?  Never.  Prayed the Lord's prayer with a sinner?  Nope.  Done miracles?  None.  Seen any?  Not really. 

People never stop me and ask me about God.  No one ever has asked me about the light inside me.  That's supposed to happen, right?  Aren't people supposed to see some kind of difference in a Christian and be drawn to them like a moth to a light bulb?  Not to this one.  Mr. Dim Bulb.  That's me.

I did go on a short mission once and it didn't go so well.  I've sat in church in 31 years and have in most ways been spiritually inert.  Nothing special. 

My spiritual life can't really crash and burn because it's barely moving.  I feel like I'm driving a Porsche that's never been out of first gear.  If I crashed...it'd be a dent in the fender.

I read once that a New Mexico fellow in the early 1900's won a sports car, but had no idea how it ran, so he hitched it to a mule team.  The thing was designed to do 100 miles per hour.  It went 3.  On a good day.  That's been my spiritual life. 

Ever been on a freeway and got stuck in the slow lane and see the cars whizzing past you?  That's my Christian experience.  After 3 decades of God, you'd think I've found the Wonder Working Power.  No, just dry wells.

So I'm going to rip on the Bible, right?  Toss God under the bus?  Give up on Jesus and join the local atheistic gig rolling cigarettes at the artisan espresso shop? 

Are you OUT OF YOUR EVER-LOVIN' MIND?  Why give up on the One Good Thing I have going for me?  Heavens no!   I love God.  I need God.   I absolutely rely on God.   He is The Most Special Thing I could ever hope for and I'm not going to let a few (31) bad years stop me from getting things right with Him.

But I'm stuck in a rut and I want out and I'm going to try a few things and see if they work, and I'll let you know along the way how it's going.  I'm a fantastic candidate for this because I'm basically at the bottom.  No velocity, no spiritual vector.

If you're a spiritual giant or have things with God well under control, I think this blog will pretty much bore you.  They say great baseball players make poor coaches since they naturally play the game well and can't relate to teach the un-naturals how to play. 

I don't want a Spiritual Giant to show me how he does it.  As if I could do it his way anyway.  "Well, first I get up and pray two hours...read 40 chapters...write an exegesis on them."  Oh My Goodness, would you Shoot Me Right Now?  When I get up, I'm feeling around for my Cleveland Browns nightshirt.  (The Browns...if you had to tie my spiritual record to a sports team, the Browns would do nicely) and try to find the bathroom.  I am NOT praying two hours in the morning.  A couple of minutes is a bonus.

A quiet time?  Devotions?  Are you kidding?  Who has the time?  I've tried, but end up falling asleep.  Bible reading?  I Love The Bible, but frankly...it's not as stimulating as many of the websites just a few clicks away.  It's real hard to stay focused...on...it...I...wonder...how...the Mariners did last night, let's check out the sports website.

If you're not a Bible believer, you're probably going to want to steer clear.  I believe the Bible is the clear direction from God.  Could I be wrong?  Sure.  I'm more fallible than most people.  Is it possible that Jesus is some fairy tale made by the same guys who invented Santa Claus?  I don't think so, but I'm not that smart.  (My wife says I'm not the sharpest bulb in the barn.  She's got a great sense of humor.)  So, yeah, maybe I'm wrong about the Bible, but you've got to have a deck under your feet unless you want to be shark food, and this is the footing I've chosen to stand on and I'm going to stick with it cuz I've not found significant fault with it in 31 years and I think if it was not true, I'd have seen it by now.

And one thing while I'm at it. Honestly, I don't have time for fairy tales.  I don't have time for made up stories.  I want the Truth.  The Whole Truth and Nothing But The Truth.  Honestly I want to do what's True and Right and Real.   

Sorry, I haven't even gotten to the place I planned to start yet....so I'll leave that for next time.  But it will be about Following God.  What does that mean?   I don't honestly know, but I've got an idea and that's kind of the reason for the blog in the first place...a place for me to share what I think that means, and put it into practice and see if year 31 is any better than the previous ones.   Hey, if I follow though (that would be amazing since I never seem to finish what I start), at least we'll know if I'm right or not and that would make the exercise worth while.

Stay tuned.  This might be interesting.