Pass the Honey-eucalyptus, please... ~ February 3, 2003

I'm discovering that honesty in church is dangerous. Did you know that if you walk into a church where Christ is preached with a mind to see yourself as God sees you, you're asking for it? Yeah, caught me by surprise too. There I sat in the third pew from the front, listening to a sermon on how love is not "self-seeking", and even though I didn't particularly want to be depressed that day all I could think of was what a selfish prig I am. For those of you who disagree, thanks be to God for His grace to you. (For the rest of you, yeah yeah took me forever to catch on, right?)

But I took even more than a fresh outlook on myself away with me. I was reminded once again of the important fact that if you "get something" out of a sermon or a service, only one-half of that comes from the outside. The other half comes from what you bring with you. If I walk into church expecting to hear a word from the Lord about how I can obey Him, I'll hear it. If I sit down expecting to be bored out of my mind, counting the number of times people cough during the sermon is going to be such great fun! In a real sense, you help create the reality you inhabit. Our Lord never pushed people over until there was no other way for Him to get their attention (i.e. cleaning out the temple with some string). If you want to persist in closing your ears to Him, He'll let you. After all, the resulting misery is enough to break us.

Its funny how many Christians will say they know that true Christianity is more than just practicing your faith at church. And most will be eager to point out that they go to Bible studies or help out at Youth group or try to witness at work. And you know what, I'd say that too. But that makes it too easy for me to forget that the real stuff, the hard stuff that I need to be doing is relational, not action-al. Have you made a habit of listening to the Spirit during the week? Have you talked to the Lord about that pet sin you like to ignore? Have you laid down a burden at His feet before Sunday rolls around? Church has never been meant to be the only time when we get down and dirty with God to deal with what our hearts really feel. Heart-work is not something you can do at the flip of a switch. Its meant to be a part of our everyday, our outlook on life and our reason for perseverance.

So I suggest that everyone take some of the attitude that grows on you in church and plunk it right into your week. Then when Sunday comes again, you can take some of that actual practical new attitude into church with you. I guarantee that it will change what you get out of it.