It is so easy to fall into Christianville that we lose sight of Christ. We place layer over layer of religion, institution, bureaucracy, denominations, perspectives, Christians and even ourselves over our cornerstone who is Christ Jesus. With so many layers, we are left with much digging to do to regain sight and grip of our Savior. What is even worse is that with the many man made variables that come into our faith, our view of our faith and Savior become distorted. So then, what does it truly mean and truly require for His followers to keep their hearts focused on Him? What happens when I can not even see Him anymore? Here is the biggest danger: When Church replaces Christ.
I praise God that He has placed me in a church that gets it. I praise God that He has placed me in a church with Christ centered leaders. Yet, I must remember that Church, and the members and the leaders that make up the Church are still sinful humans that Christ had to die for in order to save.
I can confidently say that I have stepped over the thresh hold of spiritual naiveness. It can be a disheartening reality when what you look upon as spotless begins to reveal the reality that God has entrusted broken people in a broken world to take care of His bride. It is not disheartening because my expectations have been blown away, but rather it is disheartening because I have realized that once again I have been looking at Man and not God Himself. What comes with looking at Man are the institutions, bureaucracies, denominations, and ultimately, unavoidable sin and disappointment. Man will disappoint, but God never will.
Jesus I want you. Only You.
I cherish, love, want and need my Church and the body of Christ, but I remind myself that You are my focus, my mission, my cornerstone. Only You. You are the perfecter of my faith. Only You are perfect. I look to my church for fellowship, growth and healing. However, I must regain sight that they serve as instruments of fellowship, growth and healing, but ultimately, it is GOD who provides it.
My church, my leaders, my brothers and sisters are my crutch, but they are not the source of my strength.
We are provided understanding, but what we do with it is called wisdom. Wisdom is the application of knowledge and understanding. Again, it is not the knowledge of faith, but the obedience of faith which IS wisdom. So, the question is: Now that I see the stains, what will I do? Wisdom tells me to keep focusing my eyes on my Savior Christ. Wisdom tells me to trust, be nourished and be built up by Church, but once again to remember that God has entrusted broken people in a broken world.
Yet, even in the midst of the brokenness, it is precisely "the brokenness" that reminds us WHY we desperately need Christ.
I continue to focus on You. Only You.
