Ablaze with God

"The great tragedy today is that the situation is desperate, but the saints are not"  -  Vance Havner

This holy week has been different for me.  I have been spending more time in solitude and reflection.  There is something kindling in my soul and I feel God's pleasure all around me.  In the midst of all this, the world around me, especially the church world seems in total disarray.  We denounce risky people as outlaws and force people who are different to exit our safe havens we call sanctuaries.  Are there no more frontiers for the church?  Is there nothing to learn in the wilderness?  Have we sold our spiritual birthright for a cheap imitation with little substance to sustain the Christian life?

Our youthful idealism has faded by the world of conformity.  Our child like faith has become all grown up and jaded in the process.  We have become so proper and cautious in our faith that there is very little worth taking risks for any more.  Is it possible for the church to be intoxicated by God again?

If the church were honest, we need to start another recovery group simply called L.A. (loneliness anonymous).  As the population grows, loneliness keeps increasing.  As we march into Good Friday, Jesus died to take away our sins, not our feelings.  Feelings need to be experienced and shared, not rejected or ignored or stuffed away for a later day. In the midst of all the noise, pain, and loneliness, I believe God is on the move.  For those who have spiritual eyes to see, God is doing immeasurably more than we could ever ask for or imagine.  My heart is pounding as a huge cyclone of God's Spirit is about to hit the world.  Are you ready?