ALL IN...ALL THE TIME

I've said it before, and I will say it again: TOO MUCH of our (the church's) Gospel presentation has focused on the future rather than experiencing the present reality now. Jesus is not a travel agent that ensures we reach the destination. He came to give life in all of its fullness. What this mentality has created is a Christianity that is so future driven the we miss out on life all around us.

"Where ever you are, be all there." It's a simple statement, but I wonder how many people actually live it out? How many of us are ALL IN, ALL THE TIME? Do we find ourselves holding back? Do we only invest a certain part of ourselves into every relationship or encounter? What can really happen when we are fully present?

I'm discovering in my relationships the validity of this type of living. If I'm all in, then I invite others to be all in with me. It raises relationships to a whole new level. I accept them. I see them. I hear them. It's all a part of the culture of honor that I carry within me. A culture that chooses to see people the way the Lord sees them. I acknowledge Him in them. I can do this because I have done it for myself.

Being all in means that I am confident in my own identity. While I recognize my imperfections, I also recognize that it's part of the journey. Imagine if you will that a child is trying to learn how to walk. What happens when they stumble and fall? Do you say, "Well...you are just a crawler & there is nothing you can do about it"? Or do you help them up, move out in front of them, and encourage them to step forward? Why do we ever stop doing this as it relates to identity? I may stumble. I may fall. But I hear the Lord calling out to my identity and He says "Keep Coming!"

How does this relate to my statement about a destination driven Christianity?
If it's only about the destination then I really don't have to become anything. I don't have to grow. I don't have to be all in. I can sit idly by and wait for my time to come. Not only that, but this method of sharing the Gospel actually produces death bed confession of Christ rather than people encountering the Lord at a young age and walking with Him throughout life. AND that is my issue.

"I HAVE COME that they may have LIFE and that LIFE MORE ABUNDANTLY" - Jesus

Imagine the people around you fully alive and fully present. Can you even fathom the love, the security, the joy, and the peace of that existence? Maybe this is the reality of life that we are missing. Maybe this type of living is what the world is looking for from us. There are no masks. There is no need for hypocrisy. There is no need for charades. People fully alive, embracing the journey, and seeing one another for who they are in Christ. This is the community that I want to take part in. This is where I choose to live.

This weekend I encourage you to do just that. Be fully present with those around you. Don't be distracted with other things. Don't think you have to hide who you are. Embrace who you are in Him, who they are in Him, and be amazed at His presence with you.

As I close out the blog for today, I want you to know that I will not be writing for a few days. I'm taking some personal time away from the blog, but I will be back within a week. Oh...as you head into Valentine's weekend, make sure everyone around you knows how loved they are. Enjoy the journey. Talk with you soon.