When the excitement is gone
Thinking about the contrast between the spirit of the worship gatherings we experienced in Mexico and many in the United States, I wonder if some of the difference is that we are no longer overwhelmed with a sense of gratitude for God's mercy, grace, and love.
Living under the addictive opiate of Disneyland (the USA), we too often forget what it meant/means to be "lost." Hence, our sense of wonder at being "found" is diminished.
If I am not filled with wonder at God's salvation, "worship" too easily becomes diminished into an "entertain me" mentality in which I evaluate the various elements of the service based on my preferences and how I feel about what is happening.
Similarly, an awareness of the presence of God, burns away any idea that "it's about me."
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2 comments:
I wonder if part of our lethargy isn't related to the fact that compared to America, how good could heaven be?
Of course I know that is a ridiculous statement, but we live in a culture that is so wealthy and affluent that most of our 'problems' are laughable by global/historical standards. While reading 1 Peter I was struck how heavily Peter points toward heaven and the promise of eternal life to a church under Roman persecution.
I think that in our self-sufficient affluence we have truly forgotten our desperate need for salvation and transformation. Calvin Miller has a quote that escapes me at the moment, the gist of which is "Those searching here on earth are all the poorer because our treasures are buried in the sky." I fear that for me this is too true.
Since so much of my world and culture revolves around me and my satisfaction and comfort, I fear the 'muscles' that thrust me heavenward in worship and outward in loving service are flabby.
I can only imagine that this, in part, explains the difference between Mexico and the US. And while the prognosis is easy, the tough part is what to do about it…
I found the quote attributed to Calvin Miller. It doesn't add anything - I'm just obsessive about misquoting.
"The world is poor because her fortune is buried in the sky and all her treasure maps are of the earth." Clavin Miller
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