Relationship or Ideology

Notice the quote I added yesterday to the header graphic? I read that a couple days ago in Philip Yancey's "The Jesus I Never Knew". I'm still unpacking it in my mind, in a sense plumbing the depths of my love for Christ.

You know, we're not in "this thing" because we agree with a set of propositions. The disciples didn't interview the Rabbi before leaving everything to follow him...didn't ask about his 5-year plan, his worldview, his thought about speaking in a prayer language or allowing women to speak on the platform (oops, getting personal here aren't I?). They just followed!!

It's all about us abandoning everything, no matter what, and following Christ. It's all about that relationship with him. Man, that does something inside of me to write these things.

...It makes me angry at how many have raped Christianity for their own pleasure, taking from it only what they want (good feelings, career choices, money, trendyness, etc) without regard to the reality of the Christian life.

...It makes me sad to think about all of the times that I have done that same thing in my life. How many times have I picked and chosen the things I want acting like I was visiting some kind of spiritual supermarket, taking what I want from the shelves and leaving the rest behind.

...It makes me hopeful that if we as Christ followers will truly follow and leave the junk behind, we will experience true life, transformation, growth, passion, community, love, healing, restoration...I can go on and on.

I wanted to share these thoughts with you all today. I want to have that same, strong conviction that Dostoevsky had. I want you to have it too. I want the bride of Christ to flourish because of our undying dedication to the groom...because of our relationship with him and not because we agree with a set of ideas. I want our love for him to be everything that drives us.

Young, zealous, idealistic, dreamer...that I might be. I pray the only part of that description which changes in time is "young"!!