beauty and passion...

Beauty... passion...
I saw... both... at the symphony on Sunday...

The beauty of many...
coming together as one...

Every member...
under the direction of one...
each with a different instrument...
a different role...

Beautiful...

It gave me just a glimpse... an idea...
of what the church could be...
if we all came under One...
and followed the same score...

For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body ---

Jews or Greeks, slaves or free --- and all were made

to drink of one Spirit.

1 Corinthians 12:13 ESV

An orchestra...
bringing great beauty...
because they all had the same purpose...
the same focus...

What beauty could the church bring...? into a dark...? corrupt...? world...? If we all surrendered to the Spirit...? came under the authority of the Father...? followed the Son...?

And passion...

A guest cellist...
playing her instrument...
with passion...
intensity...

She knew her music...
no score before her...
it was in her heart...
her soul...

In her... I saw... the kind of passion I want for His Word...
to know it...
for it to flow from me...
heart... soul...

Blessed are those who keep his testimonies,

who seek him with their whole heart,

who also do no wrong, but walk in his ways!

Psalm 119:2-3 ESV

Beauty... passion...
both elements the church should pour forth...

Why don't we...?
what are we missing...?

Lord... stir the hearts of Your people...

remind us... me... of the beauty... passion...

Your people should bring into the world...

Oh sing to the Lord a new song; 

sing to the Lord, all the earth!

Sing to the Lord, bless his name;

tell of his salvation from day to day.

Declare his glory among the nations,

his marvelous works among all the peoples!

For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised;

he is to be feared above all gods.

For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols,

but the Lord made the heavens.

Splendor and majesty are before him;

strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.

Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples,

ascribe to the Lord glory and strength!

Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;

bring an offering, and come into his courts!

Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness,

tremble before him, all the earth!

Psalm 96:1-9 ESV

obedience... a source of power...

It caught my attention in the reading through...

The Lord utters his voice before his army,

for his camp is exceedingly great;

he who executes his word is powerful...

Joel 2:11 ESV

(emphasis added)

I looked again... at another translation...

The Lord utters His voice before His army;

Surely His camp is very great.

For strong is he who carries out His word.

Joel 2:11 NASB

(emphasis added)

powerful... strong... the Hebrew translated here means... 

strong, mighty, powerful, i.e., pertaining to a force potent to accomplish its purposes

--- Dictionary of Biblical Languages

To do what He says... to obey is Word... empowers...

Continuing my reading through... brought me to another passage... affirming... this truth...

And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.

Don't let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ. For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body. So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.

Colossians 2:6-10 NLT

(my emphasis)

Acceptance... obedience... power... authority... 

In Christ... by the power of His Word... we have access to a potent force... to accomplish His purposes...

...he... who executes His Word... is powerful...

confidence... in the Foundation...

Jesus... a sure Foundation... trustworthy... settling...

So this is what the Sovereign Lord says:

"See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone,

a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation;

the one who trusts will never be dismayed. ..."

Isaiah 28:16

When words from the pulpit... divide... it's wise to remember... the Foundation... the Tested Stone... 

Being sure... of Who is at the head of the church... prevents one from being dismayed... stricken with panic... or disturbed... as others translate...

Over the past few months... He has reminded me...

I Am the same... yesterday... today... and forever...

I've sensed a peace... as a pastoral change approached... sensed Him saying... it didn't matter who came... He was in charge...

So as the potentially divisive word was spoken... I was confident in the knowledge... that no mere man... is the head of the church... there is only one Head... one Authority... and He... the Son of Man... the Son of God...

 And he is the head of the body, the church.

He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead,

that in everything, he might be preeminent.

Colossians 1:18 ESV

The Lord... He sets every authority in place... there is a purpose... but it's not to divide...

In the midst of all the hard lessons lately... I see an opportunity... a challenge... for the church to grow... establish itself more fully in Him... 

To no longer place hope and expectation in a preacher... when a new one arrives every three to five years... but to establish a deeper relationship with the true Head... and trust Him... with the vision and future... of His Church... and become... the Church... His Body...

I'm surprised... by the peace... the sense that this is a significant moment... for this particular part of the Body... one of those hard things to come through... like an emerging butterfly... through a chrysalis... forcing body fluid into wings... the struggle the only way for wings to be fully formed and strengthened for flight...

A struggle... with the potential for revival... greater unity... in a body that has been growing...

So today... as I rest in the Foundation... there are those who don't... and I ask you to pray with me for this church... this part of the Body... for when one part suffers... it all suffers...

Pray for the community to recognize Jesus as the one true Head... and preeminent Authority...
Pray for the grace... to seek a common foundation... in Christ...
Pray for Truth... to be spoken in love...
Pray for the community... to value the growth... and know that this too shall pass...
Pray for this body... to be a good witness to the community outside the walls...
Pray Ephesians 4:2-6...

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit --- just as you were called to one hope when you were called --- one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

Ephesians 4:2-6

In His name... for His glory... and the building up of His kingdom...

Amen... Amen... and... Amen...

feeling freedom...

Entering the sanctuary... an unexpected sense of freedom... washed over me...

Something was different... as I stood alone... lights off... morning sun shining through stained glass...

An odd time for our church... a week... in between pastors... no human authority over this congregation... for a moment... only Him...

The Lord... unobstructed... unfiltered... unchallenged...

His Spirit... free... from leaders... filled with fear... of man... of failure... of falling...

How often does He struggle to be seen... and heard... for who He is... because of men He's placed in positions of authority...? men He's growing... testing... to become who He calls them to be...? free...

You, my brothers, were called to be free.

Galatians 5:13

But today... I sensed relief... freedom... from performance... agendas... programs...

In this moment... it felt like what it will be... when He alone... reigns... and... we are all free... to be... and believe...

"The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever."

Revelation 11:15