Relational life

So, how do we be " relational"? How do we live "relationally"?

I mean really, let's face the truth, some times people really suck! Sometimes I wouldn't give a penny to help some people out. Now I know that sounds pretty harsh, but what is the difference if I say it or live it?

If I don't live my life with the love of Christ and live out the Great Commandment, what's the point? Why would I bother to go to church and profess my love for Christ? This question has haunted me forever, or at least as long as I have lived my life for Christ, What is the point?

I have been blessed with an opportunity to do ministry full time. While I was doing ministry, I found myself being the one getting ministered too. I accepted the position with great excitement. I thought that I would get to read the bible all the time and pray for people, man oh man, I was made for this job! Well let me tell you that could not be farther from the truth for me. I found myself trapped in this world of temptation. The temptation to idolize my work and my efforts more that I loved God. I quickly found myself working 80+ hours a week and never really reading or praying. I never found myself meditating on the word of God.

I was trying to finish up one ministry program while also trying to do a few other ministry programs. My life had become so full of doing God's work, that I forgot one major piece. I forgot God! I forgot to honor Him above and beyond all things and people. I put my goals and what God had called me to above worshipping God. I had skipped the beginning, I had become a hypocrite!

 It was Christmas eve 2010 about 11:45 p.m. Church was finished and everyone had gone home. I had finished all that I needed to do for the night and was talking to a friend. We were talking about all the people that had come through the doors of the church that day and night. How these people think that they are saved and the fact that they are so far from the truth. Then we discussed the errors of their ways and a few other things, such as - do they think they are saved? Do they really feel any better for "wasting" an hour of their lives? The "Chreaster" phenomenon is well known throughout the faith communities(those that only worship on Christmas and Easter)\, and one that will never be looked at the same, at least by me.

Then, it hit me like a ton of bricks. If I truly feel this way about some of these people, am I doing the will of God? The answer is NO! I am not loving anyone of these people the way that I am suppose to!

If someone comes into this building and wants to worship God with myself and the rest of the congregation, shouldn't we let them? Or, is it right that they may feel the bad taste that I have on my lips, or feel my self righteous judgement on them? Can they feel that I don't really love them the way that I love myself? Do they feel welcome in "the House of the Lord". Do they feel loved by God in the place that we call "the house of God". I think it is Casting Crowns that talks about this in one of their songs - They sing about the judgmental glances reaching farther that they know. I know this stuff and yet here I go, judging everyone that I don't know.

Shame on me I thought. But, God in His mercy showed up immediately. As soon as I began to bash myself so harshly. He reminded me of the truth. He reminded me that He still loves me and that He always will. He reminded me that this is a journey and that He already knows that I will make mistakes. He reminded me that He loves me without judgement. He reminded me that a father still loves His child, even when they fall. It is the Love of Christ that shows us what we must do and how we must do it.

Let me start by saying - I AM SORRY! Lord I repent of those behaviors and vow to do my best to walk as your Son did. Loving those you place in front of me, even those that are a little off to the side of me.

This blog is some of what has come out of Christmas 2010. Working out the truth with His grace, mercy and wisdom. Fumbling through this thing called life. Trying harder than anything ever in the past to love when and where it counts. EVERYWHERE AND EVERYONE. These are the chosen people of God. Whomever He sets in front of us.

1 Corinthians 13:1- 3 - "If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away all my possessions, and if I hand over my body so that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing"

This confirms my suspicions : We are to Love first!

If we keep the first thing first, won't the rest just come along with it?

It is my thought that I need to always remember these few things. Jesus summed it up into two sentences.
John 13:34 -" I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you should also love one another".

Then He said and this will help us all get the word of God to many nations: "By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." John 13: 35

If I can keep the first thing the first thing and continue to learn and grow, I might just get out of this thing alive.