Pastor Pusch

Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God
Chapter 5: Serving Leftovers to a Holy God

Wow! The last two chapters have been heavy hitters. “Profiles of the Lukewarm” was challenging. It sent the mice racing upstairs in your head. Well, chapter 5, “Serving Leftovers to a Holy God” sent the mice into overdrive. I’ve been thinking all night and all morning about what I was going to write today. The truth is that I still have no idea. My mind is still mulling over the pages I have read over the last several days. Our conversation in the Crazy Love group last night went in several, although good, directions. There’s just so much to be discussed. So, what I am going to do is open up the hatch, and let’r fly.

1. Lukewarm Christians. What do you think about when you the words Lukewarm Christians? Is there such a thing? I would suggest to you, as would Chan, that there is no such a thing as a Lukewarm Christian. Either you’re pursuing God or you’re not. This is not to say that one doesn’t struggle with sin or with their pursuit of God. However, there is a huge difference between struggling and blatant/ “intentional” disobedience. The truth is, as Christians; as disciples of Christ, we will without a doubt struggle in our walk with God. We will struggle until that day we are made perfectly complete in Christ for all eternity. Until that day, our pursuit of God will bring about its struggles. It is there where we must completely rely on the Holy Spirit to get us through. Even when the walk seems easy, do not mistake that as something you have a accomplished, but rather it is the Holy Spirit working through you.

2. Too Busy. I hate that word, busy. Everybody is busy. Busy. Busy. Busy. Sir, I can’t help you, I’m busy. I would love to talk to you, but I’m busy. You need to be led to Christ, maybe they can help, I’m busy. Prayer? Busy. Word of God? Busy. Alone time? Busy. Fellowship? Busy. Church? Busy. Small Group? Busy. Volunteer? Busy? Teach a class? Busy. Pursue God? Good concept, but BUSY. Busy. Busy. Busy. All too often the reason why we find ourselves in a rut it is due in large part because we are TOO BUSY! Many times we’re busy about the things that don’t really matter! “Quit calling it busy, and start calling it evil!” – Francis Chan

3. Serving Leftovers to a Holy God. What a title. What more is there to be said? Often times, God gets the leftovers because that’s all we have left or all we have time for. We’re too worried about the “things” that need to be added to our lives that we do not “seek ye first the Kingdom of God.” Our Pastor has been taking us through the Model Prayer (sermon series). During the last two weeks we have looked into what it means to pray “Your Kingdom come” and “Your will be done” and have concluded that it, not so simply, means that we must say goodbye to our kingdoms and domains and welcome his Kingdom view. It means to let go our our own selfish will and desires and to pursue His will in our lives. What is His specific will for you? I cannot answer that question, but Jesus said, “if you love me, keep my commandments.”

I have a 4, 5, and 6, but I really feel that I need to stop there. Pursue God passionately. Pray that I will do the same!

“O to Grace how great a debtor daily I’m constrained to be! Let thy goodness, like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to Thee. Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, prone to leave the God I love; here’s my heart, O take and seal it, seal it for Thy courts above.”

 

Crazy Love: Overwhelemed by a Relentless God
Chapter 3: Crazy Love

The whole chapter comes down to this one question. The answer to this question will really help us determine what kind of a relationship we have with God.

Do we love/serve God because we feel that we should or because we really want to?

That’s it. Do you see the difference between someone who loves/serves God because they should (it’s the right thing to do)  and someone who loves/serves God because they want to? There is definitely a big difference between the two. One is a act surrounded by legalistic ritual and the other is a relationship driven by personal desire.

When we read our Bible, do we read because we feel that should or because we want to? When we pray, do we pray because we want to talk with God or because we feel that should because we’re supposed to? What about acts of service? Do we serve God because we love Him or do we serve in order to not annoy Him? One could say, “Well, I serve God out of obedience.” My question in response to that would be, why do you obey? Do we obey because we want to or because we should?

If we’re not careful, we will begin to treat our relationship with God as a set ritual and not as a personal relationship with the Savior. When that happens, we become more concerned with the “dos” and “don’ts” and the “thou shalts” and “thou shalt nots.” It becomes more about rules and regulations than it does about the relationship. What good is ritual without the relationship?
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Obviously we struggle. Sometimes it seems that our relationship with God is not what it should be and that’s ok… to an extent. It’s ok because we are mere humans, but it’s only ok when we have the determination and discipline to get back up and pursue after God. Humanity ought never be an excuse to intentionally slip up or to stay in some kind of  fallen position. The Apostle Paul is a prime example of a human failing successfully. In Romans 7, Paul writes about his own struggle with sin and how it keeps him from doing the things he should do. However, in Romans 8, he writes about the inseparable love of God that keeps us. Further yet, in Philippians 3, Paul writes to us about the importance to pursue God; to “press toward the goal.” He admits his own imperfection and that he’s missed the mark, yet he continues to strive; to pursue.

We are human; we will fall, but let’s not allow that to keep us from striving after God. We will never be perfect this side of heaven, yet we must keep going in this pursuit of holiness.