I love Matt's comment "where is that exactly, because I'd sure like to go there more often." Honestly said. And how does "going there more often" into the presence of the Father and the Son, help the temple that Paul speaks of get built? I think we know the starting place for meeting God is in our Spirit where the Lord has come to dwell if we have invited him in. But our culture, our enemy and our flesh conspire together to distract us from the truth that God has opened the door to his presence for us in Christ.
We're also bombarded with the accusation that we are not good enough to be in God's presence. And even if we did want to go there, God would be waiting with a large stick ready to give us a good tongue lashing and spanking. As a sign on a church billboard put it, "Don't make me come down there...God." While funny, it sends a message that God is waiting for his opportunity to smack us good. And that's a lie.
Since God builds his holy temple among us with qualities of his heavenly life, e.g. love, joy, peace, perseverance, long suffering, patience, kindness, etc. its pretty important that we get there as often as possible. So let's keep reminding one another that the door is open, the price has been paid and that Jesus can and will build us together into the dwelling of God. I'll meet you there.
Lance Thollander
Monday, October 29, 2007
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Thanks Lance for inviting me to join in the conversation. I'm new to blogging, but here goes...
I used to read the words "They in Us that the world might believe that you sent me" and hang my head in shame over the mess we've made of the church. While I'm not completely over those feelings, I have found some real hope and joy in those words lately. Isn't it encouraging to believe that the Lord honestly intends to bring us into such an experience of Divine fellowship while we're on the earth that people would begin to believe that "Jesus really does bring people to God"? And this is a corporate thing. He came from God to bring US INSIDE the TRINITY in our lives together, and for us to express that life on this planet. My experience as a believer bears this in a small way. I can honestly say that every step towards a more authentic experience of Christ has required or resulted in a more authentic experience of His body. I can't count the number of times I've gone to the Lord in prayer and he's changed a bad attitude I had towards another person, or felt prompted to encourage someone, etc. Just maintaining my personal fellowship with Christ in a living way has been the path that has brought me into deeper experience of body life. Although I'm still not sure about what to do about denominational fragmentation and greedy televangelists, I'm encouraged to pursue a greater experience of "They in US" by continuing the pursuit of Christ with others. It's what the Lord wants the world to see (although I'm not really sure if it's His plan for them to see it on TV.) ;-)
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