It snowed this evening. Looking at the snow in our back yard reflecting and sparkling beneath the reflecting light of our porch light made me think of the purity and holiness of God. Snow is so amazingly white. Does anything else look white next to it?
I wonder if sometimes we forget that Christianity and the church are pale, even a dingy gray next to the pureness of Christ. Do we sometimes forget that salvation is in Christ, not the church, and not Christianity? I do not think people come to a saving relationship with Christ through anyone's ministry. I believe it is the work of the Holy Spirit. We are called to be ambassadors, conduits, extension cords, but we are not the power that transforms minds and hearts.
I wonder if Elijah forgot that when God met him at Horeb. He told God that only he remained to serve God. (1Kings 19:14) Do we sometimes echo Elijah when we talk about our denomination compared to others? What about our church compared to others? What about our ministry compared to others? The Lord did not criticize Elijah, but he did say that seven thousand had not bowed the knee to Baal. Did the Lord use Elijah after this?
When I was still in seminary one of my class assignments was to interview people on the street and ask them what they thought of the church, Christianity and Jesus. I wasn't surprised that many people had a poor opinion of the church, Christianity and especially Christians. I know there are many people who do not believe in Jesus, but few people had anything bad to say about the Lord.
Christmas 2009 is over. I think there were fewer manger scenes this year. I admit I enjoy them. I also prefer Merry Christmas to Happy Holidays, but my faith will not be moved if these things pass away. I like the Christmas lights and I like Christmas trees, but if these things pass away I will not be moved. The commercialism and selfishness attached to Christmas only detract from the incarnational message.
So what about the church? What about Christians? Are we effective? Do we, like Elijah, dare tell God that all is lost and we are all that is left? Do we somehow think the Kingdom of God is dependent on us?
You and me and the world are always looking for the best, the fastest, the greatest. Being number one is everything, being the first is all that counts.
The Bible says there was a great wind that split mountains and broke rocks, but God was not in the wind. The Bible says after that there was a great earthquake, but God was not in the earthquake either. Then there was a great fire, but again God was not in the fire.
Finally there was a great silence. Consider that it was not the great wind, not the earthquake, nor the great fire, but it was out of the silence that God spoke to Elijah. Again, what happened to Elijah after God spoke to him out of the silence?
Even today are we looking for God in all the wrong places?
Most of the people I interviewed at the Portland Rose Garden had no problem with Jesus. So how can we be the church and keep church all about Jesus, and not us?
The snow falling on the street in front of our house is beautiful. There is nothing I can do and nothing you can do to make it more beautiful. It is what it is, silent, soft and beautiful. Anything we do to try and improve on its beauty only detracts. Isn't that how it should be?
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