Who cares?

Everybody wants to go to heaven. But nobody wants to die.

Ahhhh it's been awhile. A visit to the hospital (bad flu), some sick days, a new cd or 2 and some God times later... I have some more thoughts to get out!

That first line is the first line on the new David Crowder Band CD... powerful. Everyone wants to go to heaven, but nobody wants to die to themselves here on earth.

Anyway, wholly unrelated (well maybe a little) to what is on my mind today... but I am listening to the cd right now. Yeah.

So... in all my infinate wisdom... I think I've solved some problems with the world, because that's what I like to do with my time. The church, more specifically. (nb: I do not actually think I have that kind of wisdom, if any... the above was simply a sarcastic introduction to possible lighten the atmosphere).

Uh huh. So these days those Christians who are generally on the fringes of mainstream Christianity (you know the type... the ones who think there's got to be something more than having a metal fish on your car, rocking out to the latest christian cd, or going to church sunday morning)... the "hardcore" ones. The ones that should realize that what really matters after the dream is over is how you're going to support a family, have a house, 2 cars, a nice retirement... Well they seem to think that there needs to be something more to this life. They think there's a spiritual dimension to life that would explain a lot of what's happening in the world today. Possibly that the church of today is largely in shambles, and that it's failing miserably at it's call to reach the world, and affect it for the better.

Well maybe the hardcores, you know, like that guy that turned down your invitation to that wicked party on friday night because he had plans to get up at 7 am on saturday to spend 5 hours with God out in the country... weirdo... well just maybe they have a point.

But if we are the body, why aren't His arms reaching? Why aren't His hands healing? Why aren't His words teaching? And if we are the body, why aren't His feet going? Why is His love not showing them there is a way? (Casting Crowns).

Well. Why not? Could it be that, though we go through all the right motions, though we feel all nice and goose-bumpy after that rippin guitar solo during worship, though we proudly call ourselves Christians after we make sure there's no one around that would take offence.... Could it be that *gasp* *shock* we just really don't care?

OH WELL! Harumph! How dare you! I do to care! I give XX hours a week to do this or that in the church, to put up with bratty junior highs, or crying babies, or hand out bulletins, I DID A SHORT TERM MISSIONS TRIP FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE!!!! how could you even say I don't care I so do... ahh.. what... I don't even know what to say!

How about... maybe you're right...?

How about... maybe if I take a closer look at my life, I really don't actually have any idea what it is that I should be even caring about, any idea what God is focused on in my church, workplace, city... Mabye I don't even care about my life or where it's going, as long as I'm comfortable. Maybe, just maybe, everything I "care" about and give my time to is simply to make me look better? Why do we choose to volunteer in a certain ministry? Because it's where God wants us? Or because it's the easiest... cleanest... safest... most important... _______....?

Maybe if we take a look at the hardcores, you know the ones, the real goody-goodies that have no life and are always changing the atmosphere when they enter a room... They just seem to bring down the level of fun, make us realize how "imperfect" we are without ever saying a word.

Well... could it be that these so labeled hardcores are doing something right? I'm pretty sure that when the atmosphere changes it's God... not that person directly. It just so happens that they're connected with God at a level where He is tangible in their lives. When they enter a room... so does God. And all that comes with God being present. For those that are right with God... peace, joy, communion. For those that aren't? Unease. Conviction. Fear.

I suppose the question could be asked... When we are in the presence of God... what do we feel? Overwhelming joy and peace? or uneasiness and conviction and fear? Maybe that's an indicator of your relationship with God. Do you jump at opportunites to go to meetings where you know God can and will show up? or do you find yourself making excuses, like "no, I'm not really feeling that event tonite." or, "no, that's not really my thing". I have news for you. If you're a Christian, and desire any sort of biblical relationship with God, coming into His presence to experience Him should be what we're feeling, and should be our thing. Especially when our physical self doesn't feel like it.

Well okay. So I don't care. I pretend to, but I really don't. I avoid God because I am scared of what it could mean to experience him. I settle for enough to make me feel good. Maybe the hardcores deserve a second look. So what. What does this mean. What do I do. Is there more? What will I have to do to get there? Do I have to?

Congratulations. You've made it... sort of. You have some idea that maybe what everyone and their mom is calling Christianity these days isn't quite what it was ever meant to be. Maybe I just lost you with that sentence. Either way, you'll probably keep reading, so I should probably say something profound so you can feel satisfied. Well ya know what? Maybe just to prove my point (which I'll get to) I won't say anything profound at all, so you don't feel good. So you get away from the lie that anything to do with Christianity should make you feel nice and special and happy.

If nothing else, I hope I say something that ruffles your feathers enough to get off your pedastal and do some serious searching in the bible to show me exactly where it says Christianity is supposed to make you happy and that it's all about you. At which point God may point you to some truth. In fact you may want to start in 2nd Opinions (props to Joel Hamm).

For those of you still with me who just wish I would get to the point and start making sense... sorry. I'll start trying.

1Co 4:1-13 "Think of us as servants of Christ who have been given the work of explaining God's mysterious ways. And since our first duty is to be faithful to the one we work for, it doesn't matter to me if I am judged by you or even by a court of law. In fact, I don't judge myself. I don't know of anything against me, but that doesn't prove that I am right. The Lord is my judge. So don't judge anyone until the Lord returns. He will show what is hidden in the dark and what is in everyone's heart. Then God will be the one who praises each of us.
Friends, I have used Apollos and myself as examples to teach you the meaning of the saying, "Follow the rules." I want you to stop saying that one of us is better than the other. What is so special about you? What do you have that you were not given? And if it was given to you, how can you brag? Are you already satisfied? Are you now rich? Have you become kings while we are still nobodies? I wish you were kings. Then we could have a share in your kingdom.
It seems to me that God has put us apostles in the worst possible place. We are like prisoners on their way to death. Angels and the people of this world just laugh at us. Because of Christ we are thought of as fools, but Christ has made you wise. We are weak and hated, but you are powerful and respected. Even today we go hungry and thirsty and don't have anything to wear except rags. We are mistreated and don't have a place to live. We work hard with our own hands, and when people abuse us, we wish them well. When we suffer, we are patient. When someone curses us, we answer with kind words. Until now we are thought of as nothing more than the trash and garbage of this world."

Hoah my goodness. Read that again. Maybe twice more.
I'm pretty sure Paul and his apostle buddies were hardcores. But they got it right. lets unpackage.

In a nutshell... Paul is about as hardcore as you can get. Read His description of himself in the above passage. (the last paragraph). Wow. That's going through a lot for God. But EVEN SO: He still says that even though he can't find anything wrong in Himself, it's still not good enough. ... Whaaat? ONLY GOD can judge the depths of our hearts... our motives... our purity. Even when we're airtight to our own view and to that of others... God can still find stuff.

Paul cared. Paul made Himself available to God. 100%. Nothing held back. His life was God's life to use. Paul didn't even stop when he couldn't find anything... ANYTHING bad in his life. He still would ask God to search him and convict him of wrong motives and thoughts. And through Paul, God visibly changed the world. To the point that we still talk about it 2000 years later. Maybe we're on to something.

But why do we get stuck on "oh but Paul, hey Paul did this, oh look at Paul"... He was a NORMAL PERSON. That God called. And he answered. And went.

We're normal people. That God has called. Have we answered? Have we went?

God has called His church to be something more than it is being today. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations! (Mt 28). How can we go therefore and do therefore if we aren't being what we're called to make! When Jesus told us to go make disciples, He assumed that we would care enough about Him (if we call ourselves by His name) to actually BE His disciples! And some of us are. I believe they're called the hardcores. And some of His church is going. And doing. And being. But a good lot of it is sitting. Happy. Content. Taking the nice things that come with Christianity, and leaving the rest behind.

The only problem is, what they are leaving behind is where all the power lies. And that power comes from the hard work. The "hardcore" life. Asking the God who knows us better than anything and anyone (especially ourselves) to continually point out our faults so we can right them in Him. Sacrificing everything we take pleasure in and offering it all to God. Giving our whole and very lives to God, to use when and where He pleases. The life of a disciple. I think I've written more in detail on this so I'll leave it here. Or go read your bible if you're more interested. Or some Tozer, or Oswald Chambers.

The fact is... If we are the body, why aren't His arms reaching? Why aren't His hands healing? Why aren't His words teaching? And if we are the body, why aren't His feet going? Why is His love not showing them there is a way? (Casting Crowns).

The fact is... the "church" is big enough and the world is small enough that there is no excuse for the world to be in the condition it is. There is no excuse for poverty. There is no excuse for world hunger. There is no excuse for people not having heard enough and seen enough of who God really is to make a decision for themselves, unbiased. Why is His love not showing them there is a way?

Because we, Church, don't care. We've lost the romance with God. We've lost the discipline, the discipling, and as a result... the Source. God Himself. Working in those who are pure and surrendered, with nothing to lose and everything to gain, because they've given it all to God, to use to His will.

We've stopped caring, simply enough. We're happy. What more do we need?

Well... God.

"God I'm selfish. I neglect you and put my effort and energy into things that don't matter, or worse, things that grieve you. I offer up empty prayers and sacrifice the things I'm bored of, just to justify my life. I settle for "good enough" (when it really isn't at all), instead of straining for the best. I laugh at the hardcore at times, and then wonder why they world's going to crap.
But I'm sick of it all. I want you. I want all that comes with that. I want to know you like Paul did, and more importantly like Jesus did. I want to never be satisfied, but always pushing for the best in you. I want you to use me wherever and whenever I am. I want to be a hardcore. For you. And not care what others think and say, because I know you and I know that you know me. And that is what matters in the end. Because with that simple fact I can become all that you want me to be, for your glory. This is what I want, to the cross with all else. This is life. You... are life. Everything else will lead to death, if we don't send it there first. I want to care. In Jesus' name."