may we be one.

Today, while cleaning my boss' basement and listening to a sermon on my laptop, I realized something. Well, maybe a few things. Without the cross; without the death of my own agenda and perceived needs on a daily basis, all this that I am so keen on means nothing. The Bible defines love as laying down one's life for a friend (1 john somewhere). In our death, we reflect Jesus' life (2 Cor 4 something). If my entire day is not lived through that lens, then who am I living for? Myself. My needs are still in high demand. My desires are not easily 'self-controlled'. I still do what I want, when I want for the majority of my day, and I thank people when they tell me they respect the way I walk to my own beat.

I also realized that everything does come in seasons, and that really is okay. Especially when looking at the church. A while ago now I had the revelation that the church on earth is not going to be perfect, so we might as well be content where we are planted and love like none other as we learn. When Jesus returns, He is returning for His Bride - that being the church - and the Bible tells us that He is coming back for a spotless Bride. A perfect church. Until that time, we are in the process of being renewed. Still, I find myself wanting and praying for us as a body to just get it. To pray more, to minister more, to love more, to serve, to give, to disciple, to teach, to do and be all the things we see in the New Testament church! Finally, today it clicked. We will have seasons in our churches where ministry is the big push. There will be seasons of corporate prayer, and seasons of deep theological teaching. The key is to die to ourselves when we want something else and to let those gifted in that specific area, shine. Let the Spirit do His work in and through us. What a concept!

I am really learning to love this way of being the church...