Sunday mornings I stand with self-less abandon, and in true David-Crowder “Undignified” fashion lead the littles in our junior worship time.  Together we shout the fruit of the spirit, we sing, we clap and we dance to tunes both soft and rockin’. 

Little bodies sway and swing untimely to the beat of sound and song making a beautiful camouflage for that one boy that’s too-cool to worship with body and soul (you know the one, the one you whisper prayers or other spiritual mumblings for).

But then, there’s this moment of child like exuberance, when ten fingers and two hands times forty raise, when eyes squeeze tight and small voices lift in proclamation;

 “We are the light of the world, we are a city on a hill.” 

It’s in this moment I am not their worship leader.  I’m not using my gifts to serve, rather I am being served.  I am being shown what true worship, what child-like faith looks like. 

The flood of emotion fills my eyes with salty tears of joy, and doubt, gladness and repentance.  So I pretend to close my eyes in worship, damming up the flood of welling tears.

Do they know?

Is there any way they can possibly understand - that they are?

That we are?

Their little hands raised in worship, their mouth speaking what their mind may only know in part.  But proclaiming truth.  And I am challenged.

Challenged to live as His light in a world of grey discontent; a world that needs and wants and finds all lacking.  

I can be a light of contentment and joy. 

In a world of dark discord; a world that divides, and hates and tears each other to pieces.  

I can be a light of unity and love. 

In a world of ashen purpose; a world that’s lost in self and stuff and driven toward fleeting success.  

I can be a light of hope and meaning. 

In a world of shadowed truth; a world that disguises and analyzes and calls all relative.  

I can be an unchanging light.

These lives with grace covered imperfections shine from the inside out His radiance.  
Shine that an unknowing world may want to know. Shine to reflect His glory.  
Shine not out of our goodness but out of His.  
Shine, cutting through the darkness and grey of this world a beacon of hope, of different.

There is no lack of darkness, but the light within you is greater. 

How will you shine?

How will He shine through you?

Driving Up a One Way Street

When in a rush, one might think of rolling through the stop sign
But the ONE WAY?
Purposefully driving into head-on traffic?
I've done it accidentally
Once, while downtown, covering the length of a block,
Thankfully, not meeting a single car

The signs are rules.
Rules
To keep us safe
Prevent chaos
Give order
Show direction

And we obey them
Without thinking
We stop
We follow the marked way
We choose the rules

But there is this movement
Even among "Christians" - against rules

Because
"The Bible wouldn't be written the same if it was written today"
Because
"It's a relationship not a religion"
Because
"The God, I know would never..."
Fill in the blank
Because
"Whatever works for you is okay for you"

We don't hesitate to stop at the stop sign
But we question if we really need to go to church
If homosexuality is still a sin
If our actions matter as much as our "belief"
If the God who gives us grace truly desires for us to live by a set of standards
If Jesus is really the only way to heaven

If we believed in the stop sign - we trusted that it was good and had a purpose
But didn't choose to stop
We would crash

And that's what we do with our belief in Jesus
We wreck it
With selfish worship
Self-proclaimed truth
Loveless actions
Careless words
And idolatry

Our God is unchanging,
And His Word fixed
Imperishable
Persevering Truth
Applicable - Emotional - Alive - A Shield - And A Sword
For all generations

It is a relationship
Rooted in love, faith, and trust
Love that drives action
Faith that forces transformation
Trust that His promises are worth our alienation
Because we love Him that much - there isn't another option
We choose to Submit - We choose to Obey
Because belief isn't enough

It's a relationship that is covered in His grace
Because
"I'm not enough"
He IS
Because
"I can't -- even when I try with all of me"
With HIM all things are possible"
Because
"I don't understand"
His ways are higher - His thoughts are higher

I don't pretend to fully know God
The comprehension of Him is beyond me
His Love
His Justice
His Power
His Mercy
His Anger
His Patience
His Goodness
His Holiness
Infinitely more than my mind can grasp
But I trust Him to be who He Says He IS
And not mold Him into something modest and small that I can understand

Whatever works for you isn't okay
Unless It's Jesus
"I am the way and the truth and the life.  NO ONE comes to the Father except through me."
John 14:6

It was controversial when He said it
It's still controversial today
But it's worth loosing everything for
This grace covered ONE WAY life
These grace covered rules
Keeping us safe
Preventing chaos
Teaching us
Making us complete
And leading us in the ONE WAY that matters
For eternity