Thursday, May 22, 2008

What If

I know some may think I'm naive. I know this is something I will have to accept. I know that accepting what I say, what I believe, what I feel, if you've never experienced it, if you've never sought it, would seem like folklore, or that I'm blindly following something I can't see, loving someone, that if they even do exist, I haven't ever met.

But WHAT IF YOU'RE WRONG? Check out the song above. There are other things to consider, I'm not blindly following, I'm just now experiencing a new way to see. I'm finally SEEING. Wondering around on this place, that is not my home, but just a stopping place, I've settled into this world and the ways of it and in THAT I've been blind. I've been loving someone that DOES exist. I can see Him, in my children, in the miracles and answers to prayer and surprises he's allowing me to see in plain sight the closer I am to Him. And I HAVE met Him. I can honestly say that there are times in my life that can not be explained by any other means, times where I've felt Him, known Him, experienced Him and it's been more real than anything I've ever experienced.

What I guess I've even had trouble with throughout my life is the failures of religion. I've at points even bought into the lie that Christians, or Christianity has failed us, because of the way some Christians act, their let downs, betrayal or other transgressions. But RELIGION is NOT the same as FAITH. They are two separate things. I am not believing in my pastor, I am not measuring myself against those who attend my church, in fact, doing that is a form of idolatry and will lead to disappointment at times. I'm not saying churches or denominations are wrong, I'm saying that holding them accountable for my belief, or lack thereof is wrong. They are just human, just like me, and the church is just a building. They are what I choose to participate in to worship, to find fellowship, to keep me accountable in my search for truth, but they are not the measuring tool by which I gauge my relationship with Christ, or the level of my faith.

I know SO MANY people who have given up on God, or chosen not to seek Him in the first place because of the ideals of religion, or the let-downs of mere humans that have failed them in their claims of being "Christians". But there is ONE and only ONE that I put my faith in, only one I seek, only one I question, only one I believe and it has nothing to do with being Baptist.

I am not righteous, I am not better than anyone else. In fact, I would say, that I have had my fair share and then some of rebellion, or disbelief, of worldliness, of anger and hate, of disillusionment, of hypocrisies. But I am turning (it is a DAILY effort) more toward Him. I am trying my best because I know now that this world will fail me, it has already proven so time and time again. But there is ONE who will not. Even though I sometimes don't understand His ways, he is the ONE who will never lie, betray, leave, disappoint, doubt, fear or harm me. Even in my darkest days, my most selfish moments, HIS grace is sufficient, His strength is made perfect in my weakness. He continues to carry me in times I can't walk, and breaks the legs of my stubbornness to lead me, nurse me back to health, teach me to walk again. He gives me grace and mercy in abundance, more than I'll ever deserve, because He loves me obsessively, passionately, unconditionally and completely.

Verse to ponder: II Corithians 12:9-10 (The Message): "My grace is enough, It's all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness." Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ's strength moving in on my weakness. Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size - abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become.

Ok, so I'm really into music lately. I've been finding music here and there to download to my MP3 player...

What If - Nicole Nordeman
Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)