Apart from you - I have no good thing...

"...the American church is a difficult place to fit in if you want to live out New Testament Christianity. The goals of American Christianity are often a nice marriage, children who don't swear and good church attendance. Taking the words of Christ literally and seriously is rarely considered..." - Francis Chan

Wow. looooong pause & re-read.

I read this on someone else's facebook this morning. I agreed with it wholeheartedly. I felt relieved and convicted all at the same time. I am guilty; I have pursued 'American Christianity' and have concerned myself with my image moreso than the true condition of my heart before the Lord. I've instructed my children regarding how to behave toward others and have been proud when others are impressed with their intelligence, their manners, their kindness. Not that this isn't important....it's the motivation that concerns me.

I feel relieved...that in my hunger for something more, my discontent with the American church at large and my wonderment over what the difference is between churches here and churches "there" overseas, in poor villages, in places where God is truly first. It's not just me....it's not that I am asking too much...it's not that I'm living in a day and age where miracles have changed in their nature. Sorry, if it doesn't look like a miracle - it's not. God never mistakes his wonders for every day activity. He alone is God...after all.

I hope this has caused you to think as much as it has caused me to think. I'm meditating on it...asking the Holy Spirit to reveal to me areas of my heart that are so indoctrinated with American culture that I have adapted the scriptures to fit them instead of the other way around. Will you do anything different tomorrow than you have today?

I said to the Lord, "You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing." - Psalm 16:2