Red Letters of a Holy Umbrella

New Year, New Hopes, New Dreams, New Promises, New Victories, 

New Defeats, New Failures, New Frustrations. 

Same as it ever was, but what are you gonna focus on.  Where are you gonna hang your hat, What horse are you betting on. Is your glass gonna be half full or half empty.  For those following Christ, did Jesus change this last year, or are you seeing Him differently. 

All of us who are trying to live out a life of faith in a world where at least in the USA,  faith is dumbed down to right wing politics or left wing social gospels. 

We are struggling to find,  to relate to and to affect the world around us as Jesus did.

Well, my friend, what kind of Umbrella are you choosing to live under today.  Many around us, are leaving traditional  "AND" non-traditional church. They even questioning "what really is church". Does this surprise you? Why.

It's now, Social Change,  Rock Concerts, Small Groups, Home Groups, Satellite feeds, Video Replays in the coffee shop or school or theater, Back yard BBQ's, Camping trips and Random acts of kindness?

What is church, none or some of the above?

Someone said "if we are His people, following His words, then He is the church and lives in us, and we "are" the church where ever we go whatever we do, for better for worse.

So what about your spiritual covering then... Your spiritual accountability...  

Especially if you are a new or young believer? 

I like the above photo above. Men have created 1000's of umbrellas to park yourself under as accountability, or as a covering for your  faith. To be a "king" over you to protect and watch over you.  Do they look different from a distance. They eventually end up having the name or names of some men on them somewhere who honestly decided, or their people decided, that they were the Matix's "oracle" .   The list is long and bloody.  It involves more tragedy death and sin that anyone care to remember, all in order to claim to be "the" umbrella, and be separate from the rest of them protecting those under it.    Mans or better yet,  "MY" intentions may begin good in doing this myself, but are always flawed with pride and selfish ambition at the core; if you dig deep enough, or offer me enough or offend me enough... Well, I believe God knows this. I believe it's why he told Samuel "HE", was their king and they needed no other.. 

Have we ever really listened to God  much outside of our own questions and desires.. to His....

What did he say. What did Jesus say.

Over and over again I ask myself this.  What did He say, What did he do, What did He mean.

Everything else I can question at another level, but the Gospels and the Red Letter Words seem to be the best common ground in fellowship. I read and study it all, but keep coming  back to "what did Jesus say and do...

So with that said,  who do you believe when it comes to interpretation of even "HIS" quoted words. Do we listen to mens voices or Gods Holy Spirit speaking in our hearts as we study, pray and live it out, learning as you go..   "I" think both.  But, in the end you have to trust, pray and be willing to change, as we learn through increasing knowledge and life experiences, of the great  failure and victory, pain and pleasure in "life". 

There are so many divergent thoughts about "who's right", who has the best "whatever" on life as a believer. Who convicts or make me feel the best. Who's in  the spiritual Robb Report this year. Who plays and sings the best. Who can I follow this year....  and in the words of "Men at Work", "Who can it be now"...

Hey, i'm  more and more coming to think, as in all things of life, "it's the journey not the prize, not the quantity but the quality" that we really should focus on. The  eternal prize is there, and it's a promise, and I hold to it firmly, but, 

We should work for work sake - not for the paycheck

We should give for the sake of giving - not for the return

We should love for love's sake - not for the selfishness in Eros or payback.

Sure sounds simple eh..

You know the world is full of different people searching for the same meaning to life as you and I. All with their 5 senses wide open as they navigate this blue marble.   Jesus lived amongst them and around them every day. Who honestly accepted Jesus, and who usually rejected Him for his words and deeds.  Who was He trying to reach and who's business was He about? I think He'd hang with Kiss before me. He sole my heart already.

Today when the world see's Christianity as we live and breath it, do they see Jesus, and His abundant life, His unconditional love, His complete trust in the Father? 

Do they ever see this through us ?  How often? 

Ok, they may be looking for every thing wrong and nothing right. Yes that's true. They may fight, run and hide from truth and grace, fully understanding in their flesh what they will have to give up to follow Christ. 

 Oh and we may say "What you gain is way better than what you give up", but honestly they look at us, instead of Jesus,  and too often say "do I really want to be like that"?

We need to throw off the chains of self-righteousness,  

and expose our boots for what they are quite often covered with, as we go about trying to tend this messy garden. Put down the tools on occasion, and open our arms to those within our reach. 

We must  put on the whole armor of God, but  never forget that it is held together by the greatest of all...  "Love".

That might  also mean putting down your umbrella, exposing yourself to  more "problems" and letting the rain actually mess your hair and get you wet infront of everyone who you want to respect you. We might have to actually pray for understanding from You, Father, instead of expecting if from man every day, somewhere, somehow.   We might have to learn to worship without a leader in front or around us. 

We might actually go out every day and interact with other believers, breaking bread wherever we are going or working.  Playing and worshiping and encouraging sharing and admonishing each other, one on one, two on two. wherever we are.   Building each other up, supporting each other, each within their own means, as well as praying for each other and developing relationships to the point where accountability, and covering , becomes a natural outpouring of love between friends.  
Gee wiz what would we call that.