a l i v e & a w a k e

I am recounting all the amazing things God has included me in with 2007 moving on and feeling pretty privileged and mostly humbled. I realize I don’t have the ‘right answers all the time, I can’t communicate a vision and a strategy as well as I thought (let alone a blog), and there are less people following me than I would like to hope and not many people have been healed of a sickness, converted or the dead hasn’t been raised. It doesn’t change my downright feeling ‘favored by God’ moment for all He has done for me. That’s really it, -what He has done and continues to do. I get to be the celebrator, observer, facilitator and cultivator of Him which really is His preferred way of partnering with me. All that said, I have some inventory –God moments, that I want to celebrate more but lack of time can be the killer of celebration.
If you’re like me you can be too busy to do this and miss out on the pattern that God is consistently unfolding towards life decisions in the near and long term future. The God moments are everywhere and sometimes we can come face to face with Christ and still be doubtful –like John the Baptist.
John the Baptist had some time on his hands once he was thrown in jail by Herod. During that time I’m sure he was evaluating the work he has done, the lives he encountered and the future he may have. During that time his thoughts came to Jesus. Who was this man? Was He the one? So much was his thoughts that he sends out his followers to ask “Are you the one or should we expect another?” Matt 11:1-6.
My feelings are that John knew that the ‘one’ was more than just a man showing up on earth, but it was God Himself personified and implementing a whole new way for the Kingdom to be experienced and seen. The ‘Christ’ was not Jesus’ last name but an identity that reveals God’s intention to partner with humanity, to bring about peace (shalom), to bring about an anointing of miracles, wonders and people seeing with a heart of flesh into the divine. My feelings are that John knew the Christ would be a movement of many empowered not just the actions of one that did something for everyone. I think that is why Jesus answered John’s disciples the way He did.
“Tell John the blind see, the sick are healed and the lame walk, the poor are seeing the gospel, etc.” That answer was not yes, but it was more than yes. It was more of revealing the activity of God’s heart and character on the world. It was the beginning of more humans who would personify and take on the very same work. That work is the best way to qualify ‘life to the fullest’ (John 10:10).
We are not told if John hears that answer and says “great, we are now beginning a movement of anointing that will dynamically change the way God works and communicates and transforms this world”—but I think he did. I know the fullness of what that anointed movement looked like back then must not have been grasped , but then again do we today with so much history get it?
Why is it that I have such a hard time understanding my role on a daily basis as a Christ follower? Why is it that I sometimes don’t see the living reality of this movement around me in such tangible way? My biggest problem is my lens is still a little foggy and I can let feelings change my perspective on reality from one moment to the next. I need to realize the chemicals in my body a less real than the work of Christ around me. I have also to change my view on the very miracles that happen so frequently without someone to really highlight and celebrate them. Miracles that aren’t as ‘radical’ huge and attention getting as physical healings (seem to be less and less amazing in western society today anyways).
There are miracles of goodness, truth, love, compassion, community, assistance, a little more patience, a smile or an encouraging word that are too numerous to count, usually are put into categories of ‘common sense’ or ‘normal behavior’ . Are they still not the attributes and characteristics and evidence of the movement of God? Do they deserve less praise because they are more familiar?
The opposite could be true as far as a value system goes that God doesn’t regard little familiar sins any different from the big dramatic ones, so why do we think that is different for the life characteristics of God? Can’t a moment of acknowledging ‘life’ (I am breathing and my heart is beating) be a miracle captured? It takes too much time to capture them all.
For me lately I would see the greater areas of my life and the culture I am surrounded by, needs to highlight more the many miracles that are directly against the biggest enemies of the ‘Christ’ movement like : consumerism, capitalism, apathy, separation, busyness, indifference (western society).
We may be like John the Baptist who is asking “Is this it? Is this the Christ movement being actualized today? Or do we need to wait for someone or something else?” and Jesus needs to answer us through many ways:
“The consumer gives, the capitalist partners, the apathetic are awakened, the separate find community, the indifferent are compassionate, the aimless have purpose and mission, busy people slow down and prioritize and reflect, the angry disjointed and anxious are agents of peace, the cold person smiles,,,
…the next breath you are taking is making you very aware of Me because you know you don’t get it any other way except that I, the Christ, exists. Now what will you do with all these numerous miracles?”

At the heart of every evangelist, disciple, pastor, giver and follower of Christ, we have to know it is crucial to practice listening and highlighting (seek, see, celebrate) the face of Christ in every day. Otherwise we miss Him.

Whatsoever things are pure, excellent, worthy of praise, true, noble, ….Meditate, dwell, focus and cultivate those things—Phil 4:8

So it is the new year and I use this time to reflect. I really don’t make ‘resolutions’ usually because  I hope I am able to make a change in my life as needed as opposed to ‘someday’ to make a change. So I am sitting inside on a snowy day (New Years Day) and taking time to celebrate all that this last year has been for me. I try to take inventory on a regular basis of all the good decisions and encounters of miracles God has provided this last year.

I usually am faulted for being such an ‘eternal optimist’ to the point that people think I am ‘unaware’, ‘on another planet’, unrealistic’, ‘too ideal’, etc (you get the picture). I wasn’t always that way. I use to focus on al that was negative, wrong and celebrate all the failings of others—especially the failing in myself. To the point I felt suicide wasn’t that bad of an idea (another story someday). What happened in my life back then was I catered so much to the ‘problems’ of life that I habitually sought out and looked for wrong.  I was not equipped for life. I have heard though we have been hard wired to function best when we seek the positive

The make up of our brain (scientifically) is built for change. In fact the more we change it the better it grows. So when we build a certain pattern of negative thoughts (creating a familiar channel in our brain tissue for information to travel on) we will be less prone to grow our brains and be less adaptable to life. Seeking out new solutions in a positive way, creates a new channel for our brain –in essence we grow.  Einstien said something to the effect of “the problems we face today cannot be solved by the same type of thinking that formed them’. This gets me to my thought for the new year.

I need to not only be one who can positively seek an opportunity in a difficult situation, but I need to be positively seeking out new solutions (good for my brain and my situation). Plus I need to be engaging in a more celebratory position every day, moment  by moment.

In Short - 1 When faced with a problem, embrace it as opportunity. 2 Seek positive solutions 3 Live a life that captures celebration moments

It becomes a practical way to live Phil 4:8. Note this process, if done right is uncomfortable, takes lots of energy and can leave you at first uncertain, confused and fearful. But take heart you get past that.

To close –do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your MIND.