Similar Thoughts

I was just talking with some people these past few days about church and it's really really interesting to me (and frustrating also) of how we can think we know everything there is to know about Church, about Christ, about scripture, the list goes on and on, but after so long over being a 'mature Christian' get it wrong. I mean all wrong. What this means is ... I don't think I want to mature. Maybe gracefully :) No - kidding - but I feel a bit frustrated because when talking to IC's, even people who are not IC these days, it's not working for me. I wonder what's wrong. I am more at ease talking to someone who is down to earth, real, inviting, warm, challenging to me. (It's like a warm breeze that snuggles in around my heart or something.) But if they are trying to validate their version of Christianity, Churchianity, Scripture, well then it's like , ok, this is about them. I would rather ... stick a needle in me or something : )

It leaves me wondering if it is possible to bridge the chasm here, have I missed something? I seem to be able to value others deeply, in terms of being genuine and caring. I just want to love as He loves and follow Him. It doesn't seem complicated to me but then .. is it? I have thought that I could bridge this chasm that is there in many ways. But I am not sure now, it just seems very hard for God's Holy Spirit to penetrate the rigid religious mindset . It seems to take so many different shapes, forms, .. There is so much value and effort (enormous) placed and embraced on things such as how we do church, when do we go to church, who get's to do what, when will we gather, what shall be the order of service, who is eligible to do communion lol. I have no interest at all in that : ) It's just far removed from what I think of when I love Jesus and simply want that same expression in my life. But then people say, "well we all believe in Jesus and that is what is important". Is it ? It seems to me now that I keep hearing this that is also just a sort of religious statement repeated that bothers me. It's one thing to say we all believe in Jesus, (but do we ?..) because what we truly value and truly embrace, the place we reap life from, often can reflect and be something totally different, even without realizing it. That is for us all. WE can say all we need is Jesus but then we often encamp with only those who are like=minded and/or of the same denominational persuasion, believe the way we do, and all of that.

I want to click you over to Jeff's post today because it helped me and encouraged me ..
thanks Jeff!

http://jmcq.blogspot.com/2008/07/fruit-of-my-journey-thus-far.html