Join them together...
We're at the breakfast table. He's reading articles and answering emails. We're talking about the church at large and at small. It's encouraging, discouraging, simple, complex, refreshing, and frustrating all at the same time somehow.
He leaves for work and I take my Bible and journal out to the back yard to sit in the sunshine that has finally decided to make it's way back down to planet earth. I've been reading too many articles online probably. Reading too many blogs. Listening to too many other people. It's time for just me and the Word.
I randomly flip open to Ezekiel and decide that this is as good a place as any to read (a great way to systematically read your Bible right? just kidding. no one says you always have to be systematic) Anyhow, I read chapter after chapter of gloom and destruction for the nations of Israel because of their idolatry, their rebellion, and their sin. It's not quite the uplifter I was looking for this morning. Then I make my way to chapter 36 and I am blown away for the next few chapters. Here it is like honey to my soul:
"I will also sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. I will cleanse you from all your impurities and all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove you heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh." (36:25-26)
Then the outpouring of grace and mercy continues. The classic chapter of 37 and the Valley of Dry Bones is pretty familiar to many people. There's even a great song about it. But I had not remembered the last part of 37 at all.
God tells Ezekiel to take two sticks in his hands and on one write the names of the house of Israel and on the other write the names of the house of Judah. For generations, God's people had split themselves into factions and groups and clans and cells and had been divided in heart and mind. The very people God intended to be one were vehemently opposed to each other and at war with each other. Hostility and hate reigned.
God tells Ezekiel to put the two sticks together in one hand and tells them that this is a symbol of what God is going to do. He's going to take those nations and peoples and bring them back from a far and gather them in one place under one God. He says (Ez. 37:22), "There will no longer be two nations and they will no longer be divided into two kingdoms." God says that his servant David will be their prince forever. The "heros" of the Old Testament aren't really heros despite what is often taught in Sunday School, they are shadows of Christ. So really God's bigger plan is that Christ will be their king forever. God says he will made an everlasting covenant of peace with them.
Does this division sound familiar ever? I'm for Francis Chan. I'm for John Piper. I'm for Bill Johnson. I'm for David Platt. I'm for Louis Giglio. I'm for Tim Keller. Actually, modern theologians have it all wrong. I'm for C.S. Lewis. I'm for John Wesley. I'm for John Calvin. I admit to these thoughts having come from my head and heart and mouth at different times and ask forgiveness.
What do we do with this? How do we respond? How do we pray? Ezekiel 37 spoke to me so clearly today. We pray for unity. We trust that we are together in God's hands. We press in instead of pulling away. We hold hands and walk through this together. We say kind words. We ask questions instead of throw arrows. We decide to do one thing that is often the hardest for us- stay.
When it gets hard and messy.
Stay.
When you disagree.
Stay.
When you want to give up.
Stay.
When you think you're not being listened to.
Stay.
When you are confused.
Stay.
When you want to run the other way.
Stay.
I mean this for communities, friends, churches, and groups that have been going along together for a while. If you're looking for a church, yes, I would agree to you should go with one where you agree with their theology. But also, look for a place that embraces people of different walks and seeks to be the full body- that seeks the wholeness of the Trinity.
I would like to try my best to be just simply for Christ. I'm not exactly sure what that even means each day, but for now it means I won't give up, I won't back down, I won't run. I will stay. Stay in His infinite love, mercy, grace, power, and authority. Stay with people I love.
He leaves for work and I take my Bible and journal out to the back yard to sit in the sunshine that has finally decided to make it's way back down to planet earth. I've been reading too many articles online probably. Reading too many blogs. Listening to too many other people. It's time for just me and the Word.
I randomly flip open to Ezekiel and decide that this is as good a place as any to read (a great way to systematically read your Bible right? just kidding. no one says you always have to be systematic) Anyhow, I read chapter after chapter of gloom and destruction for the nations of Israel because of their idolatry, their rebellion, and their sin. It's not quite the uplifter I was looking for this morning. Then I make my way to chapter 36 and I am blown away for the next few chapters. Here it is like honey to my soul:
"I will also sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. I will cleanse you from all your impurities and all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove you heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh." (36:25-26)
Then the outpouring of grace and mercy continues. The classic chapter of 37 and the Valley of Dry Bones is pretty familiar to many people. There's even a great song about it. But I had not remembered the last part of 37 at all.
God tells Ezekiel to take two sticks in his hands and on one write the names of the house of Israel and on the other write the names of the house of Judah. For generations, God's people had split themselves into factions and groups and clans and cells and had been divided in heart and mind. The very people God intended to be one were vehemently opposed to each other and at war with each other. Hostility and hate reigned.
God tells Ezekiel to put the two sticks together in one hand and tells them that this is a symbol of what God is going to do. He's going to take those nations and peoples and bring them back from a far and gather them in one place under one God. He says (Ez. 37:22), "There will no longer be two nations and they will no longer be divided into two kingdoms." God says that his servant David will be their prince forever. The "heros" of the Old Testament aren't really heros despite what is often taught in Sunday School, they are shadows of Christ. So really God's bigger plan is that Christ will be their king forever. God says he will made an everlasting covenant of peace with them.
Does this division sound familiar ever? I'm for Francis Chan. I'm for John Piper. I'm for Bill Johnson. I'm for David Platt. I'm for Louis Giglio. I'm for Tim Keller. Actually, modern theologians have it all wrong. I'm for C.S. Lewis. I'm for John Wesley. I'm for John Calvin. I admit to these thoughts having come from my head and heart and mouth at different times and ask forgiveness.
What do we do with this? How do we respond? How do we pray? Ezekiel 37 spoke to me so clearly today. We pray for unity. We trust that we are together in God's hands. We press in instead of pulling away. We hold hands and walk through this together. We say kind words. We ask questions instead of throw arrows. We decide to do one thing that is often the hardest for us- stay.
When it gets hard and messy.
Stay.
When you disagree.
Stay.
When you want to give up.
Stay.
When you think you're not being listened to.
Stay.
When you are confused.
Stay.
When you want to run the other way.
Stay.
I mean this for communities, friends, churches, and groups that have been going along together for a while. If you're looking for a church, yes, I would agree to you should go with one where you agree with their theology. But also, look for a place that embraces people of different walks and seeks to be the full body- that seeks the wholeness of the Trinity.
I would like to try my best to be just simply for Christ. I'm not exactly sure what that even means each day, but for now it means I won't give up, I won't back down, I won't run. I will stay. Stay in His infinite love, mercy, grace, power, and authority. Stay with people I love.
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