Living Rarefied

Getting out of the “I know the story and the facts� comfort zone that we so easily fall into with our theology and our ideas and opinions.

I just finished reading a book called “Chasing after God Knows What.� By Donald Miller.

A point in his stories struck a chord in my heart as of late. He talked about a class that he taught for students at seminary. He told them he was going to spend the class teaching the gospels and he was going to leave a big part of it out.

He said man was sinful, about how the wages of sin is death…talked about heaven and how great it would be to walk on the streets of gold.. How God will provide for them in relationships, finances and in comfort. He quoted many passages from the bible.

He asked the class what he left out and it was silence… After 10 minutes or so of silence he told the class he didn’t mention Jesus’ name…

The idea here is that in our society, people believe they go to Heaven based on whether they are morally pure or not, or that they understand the theological topics like those he discussed in his teachings to the class.. Or if they are very spiritual.. If they light candles and do spiritual things… To society a relationship with Jesus is completely unnecessary.

But if we are to believe the story of the cross and all the pain and suffering Jesus went through on his way to the cross and on the cross and through to all of the good news that is a result of the cross. I think He's kind of a big deal then?

I used to think knowledge was the key to faith. To eat up all the words I could about religion. Then in May, I met a man named Steve who explained some facts about sheep.

In Psalm 23,

"The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul."

And then we are called to take care of Jesus’ sheep in John 21. Jesus' sheep is you and me.

Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me?� He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.� Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.�

Sheep need to lie down to digest the food they have eaten, if they don’t, they will eat and eat and eat until they die…

This emphasized the importance of digesting information you know. Wrestle with the stories you have heard, the ones that bother you, excite you… Digest and only then will you be ready for more. So this part is to show the importance of knowing the stories and the gospels and the facts. But that isn't it.

I see the importance shifting this way… Miller asked his class this, so I will ask you this… If you like a girl.. or a guy, what is the first thing you would need to do to fall in love with them?

Get to know them… that would be a good start… Asking others questions about them doesn't do much, reading their blog doesn't do much, you'll never make any ground unless you spend time with them and passionately seek a relationship with them. I don't think love cannot happen without the last part.

Think about people who think they know you but they don’t. People know about how I played college golf at the U of M, but that doesn’t mean they know me right? People read my blog and hear my thoughts, but that doesn’t mean they know me right? That gives them information about me, a starting block to know me but its not the end. They need to have a relationship and spend time with me to get to know me. I know Jesus performed some amazing miracles, gave some amazing sermons… and that is all great to know.. But that doesn’t mean I “know him� it is a means for an attraction to get to know him.

What good is it to get a man to read a tract, clean up his act so 50 years later he will die a well behaved man who had some extra knowledge. But if he doesn't experience a relationship with Jesus, all you have is 1 more well behaved person, 1 more "good" person.

Ethan Feeling, Surprise Me