Church, Real Church

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Today was a good day. We woke up and went to church, Beth and I. I picked the church, and it was one I had heard of when I was in Germany- the worship pastors were with us. I checked out the website too, seemed a very Life Centerish church- big, modern, contemporary. This was only the 3rd time I’ve made it to church in the last 8 weeks or so, and I didn’t at all realize how much I’d missed it. The atmosphere was great, casual, and people were lingering. I half-expected to see someone I knew come around the corner. They’ve only been in their building a few months, from what it sounds, but the service was almost seamless.

Worship was great. A good time to enter in, with a real band and real song. I felt sort of bad, because I kept thinking, “Finally, I’m in a proper church.” Someone had obviously put time into staging, transitions, slides, rehearsals, picking songs… very nice. It made me appreciate out team all the more. I wish I’d have known more of the songs, but it was a sweet time of connection and communion anyway. The message was great too.

I was sort of surprised at how much I missed it. The atmosphere, the community, the worship, the message, the whole thing. My soul is thirsty for it. For so long, my life, my social everything has revolved around it, and now it’s not a part of my day-to-day or week-to-week or even month-to-month life.

We didn’t really do much else today, just walked around a bit. Back to work tomorrow, advancing and whatnot. We’ll hit the road again tomorrow and things will hopefully get more exciting for y’all.

Meanwhile, here’s an entry from my journal from today:
Radical Acts of Obedience

When I was in elementary school, our teacher could give us sort of awards for doing Random Acts of Kindness. Our names would go on blue slips of paper and into a jar, then at the end of the month assembly, they’d draw out a few and give us prizes. I loved the idea and will never forget it.

But I also know that so many people do so many more that are never acknowledged or awarded. Jesus often did this and he often spoke of it. “Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven. When you give to someone in need, don’t do as the hypocrites do- blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I tell you the truth, they have received all the reward they will ever get. But when you give to someone in need, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. Give your gives in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.” Do it in secret, and keep it in secret.

But today, I was wandering around downtown Dallas, just walking and praying, and a new phrase came into my head and my heart. Radical acts of obedience. Slightly different, but equally important.

I started looking back on the road that got me onto this tour. The steps of obedience, oftentimes blind, that I had to take to get here. Then I thought of the thousands of people who have taken even bigger, scarier steps of obedience to follow Christ. “Sell everything you have and move to a different country.” “Go plant a church.” “Adopt these kids.” “Befriend this person.” “Do something different; challenge the norms.” “Jump.” “Turn left.” “Run.” “Abraham, take your only son up to the mountain and sacrifice him for me.” “Joseph, marry this woman who is pregnant with a child that is not yours.” But then, look at the abundant blessings God poured out on them.

How many times am I asked to obey in a radical way, or even in a not-so-radical way? How many times do I actually do it? How many times do I miss it, miss what He’s saying and asking me to do? And on times I do obey, do I keep it a secret? Sometimes we don’t need to, but sometimes we’re asked to do good deeds, acts of obedience, and not say anything. Pride and the need for attention often get in the way of this. So this is my prayer for the next little while- that I will be quieter about my good deeds, that I will obey without hesitation, that I will love and obey radically.

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Comments

[dave]

dig the word
jami, Keep looking for that word that leads you farther on His path. Love ya dave