Whenever your in reverse, things come at you from behind

Last night the wife and I posted up on our back porch to de-compress from the day. There is a new conversation we have been having about our spiritual lives in the context of a traditional Christianity that exist in the south. It has been with some ease to identify the differences of a cultural context that exist within church, lifestyle and immediate family.

One specific point of interest is in the use of the typical Christian lingo to describe an individuals journey with God. Phrases like 'let go and let God...we needed to have a come to Jesus meeting...and my personal favorite...I'm just living a blessed life!' Provides me with a slight chuckle within my spirit. Don't misunderstand me, I am not discrediting the emotional and spiritual experience one has had, but what is disappointing is the lack of words people use to describe their experience.

It seems to me that the standard Christian lingo that accompanies some of the most influential experience one has in this life, falls short of the true reality in which the experience first offered. I ache deep within, when the phrase 'let go and let God' is used to describe a specific experience one had in the past. I understand the sentiment in which one is using the phrase, but what I want to ask is... 'how would you say that another way?' On a side note there are two things I find disturbing with the phrase 'let go and let God'

1. It communicates a detachment of our interaction with the world. I truly be live that we are Gods workers of redemption in this world. Let me explain that a little more. God is reconciling this world to a new heaven and new earth, and we are key figures of that reconciliation. Another way to say that, is in the words of Mr. Beuchner, speaking about joy, he states 'our deep gladness meets the worlds deep hunger'. My hope is that people will be thoughtful and specific in describing an experience they have with God.

2. The Church, specifically its people, are in a constant dynamic relationship with its God. As the seasons of life change, words to describe those changes need to be equally dynamic. It comes with discomfort to use words, with almost a jaded consequence, to describe an experience with God that has matured past the point of the original experience. If you find yourself using to same phrases and words to describe your current relationship then I purpose that the relationship is unhealthy. My sneaky suspicion is that relationships we have now mirror our relationship with God.

Back to the original point.

Although the differences come to light with much ease, the question that remains needs to be answered. 'How should we interact with the culture that exist around us without discrediting the tradition it holds up so lofty? In other words, how are we to be in a community with others and God, when that community lacks the creative expression to verbalize the love and joy a community with others and God brings?'

My conclusion, which is all too familiar, is that we initially don't posses the depth of relationship God intended is to have. How do I know this?

Have you ever met a person who seems to be full of life, so full of passion that when they speak, of something that is old hat, they speak as if its the first and only time you have heard of that thought? Allow me if you will, to suggest that those who speak with such life and passion, are those who have a direct line to the depth of community God intended is to enjoy. To make a further suggestion... If you are lucky enough to find those that have a direct line to the almighty, hang on to them and never let go!

But my point remains that we lack the creative verbage or better yet use past verbage as expressions of what we are experiencing now with others and God. [Jesus retold the story of God with creative verbage that communicated to the community he was apart of]

The sad reality we exist in, is our poor use of verbage, specifically that hasn't moved from a time period that is no longer present nor communicative, about experiencing a community with others and God that looks, feels, and acts like nothing before the present moment. The sad hope that exist is that once we can use words that move past a time that no longer exist, but understand the importance that time period played, to a creative expression of the moments and community in current time, we are then free to enjoy the depths of a community with others and God.

Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile