So do not worry about tomorrow. Let tomorrow worry about itself. Living faithfully is a large enough task for today.
Jesus of Nazereth, Matthew 6.34
I have been re:reading the Gospels as of late, re:finding Jesus' teachings and re:evaluating his interactions with his culture. And as I read about God's care for the birds of the air and the lilies of the field, it challenged me on a personal level, as it relates to the church of tomorrow.
I like to think that this blogging effort here on Tomorrow's Church is about dreaming of what the Church should be and could be in the future. But, it is plenty about worry for me, worrying we've messed it up too much, worried we've maimed the voice of Jesus' teachings, worried that we must re:found ourselves in the person of Jesus - worried.
Seems so silly doesn't it? The Church is the Bride of Christ, could not be mine - God's hand has been authoring this redemption story, not mine. I did not start this story and I can not end it either. I have a part to play, but it is not universal and beckons me to live a humble and faithful life today! Gandhi was so right when he said we must be the change we seek.
Living faithfully is a huge undertaking and enough work for today. Perhaps on some levels we have over-strategized, over-criticized, over-amplified the need for 'tomorrow-thinking' and under-delivered on today. We always want the bigger, the grandiose, the keys of knowledge about the future - yet we fall considerable short on the simplicity of Jesus' teachings. Loving our neighbor as ourselves is one such example and a great starting point for today.
I want to be the change I seek. And though I'm not advocating abandoning this blog or saying we should not plan and dream about the future, I am saying it should come with a heavy dose of humility and reality. A reality that God's in control, God can be trusted and God has not promised us tomorrow but has given us today to live faithfully within.
I've got a good start, but a long way to go in being this and doing it faithfully - you?
4 comments:
Kev, this is a great post. I have been wrestling with these questions/convictions lately, and it's good to see I'm not alone. Sometimes I go through a blogging rut because I tire of writing about convictions that I'm not faithfully putting into practice. I feel hypocritical, or perhaps it's just a disappointment with myself for passionately looking towards the future, without trying to change the now. There definitely has to be a balance. The truth is, I think it is healthy to dream about what could be, but if that is all we do than we are only a resounding gong. Nothing will ever change tomorrow if we cannot faithfully live today. Like you said, we did not start this story nor can we end it, but we do have a part in it. The more we focus on being faithful in the now, the more we will begin to understand our part in the bigger story of the Church and her future.
Karli - thanks for your comments and it is good to know that there is continuity in what the Spirit seems to be stirring. I am coming to realize there is so much value that comes from working on changing what I want to see changed and not just talking about it. It is a life-giving mission and a holy challenge. One of the big lessons is just submission - learning to submit to the leadership you have in your community and then trying to be the catalyst for change that you want to see.
Let me know how it goes for you.
Amen to all of that brother! I couldn't agree more! We need to get ourselves right before God before we have any kind of hope for us as His bride. Constant surrender, Humility and desire for Him with a good dose of sheer obedience is required. We must model Jesus in us completely! God bless you. Robin
Robin - thanks.
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