Somebody’s Been Inside My Head and My Heart
Doing a little “blog-stalking” tonight. Got a lot of stuff on my mind. I came across this – really by accident – over at the “community blog” at Water’s Edge.
What I Want…
I want to see God�s kingdom come and his will done in my life and in the lives of all the people around me.
I want to be the wheat, not the weed.
I want to be the good tree.
I want to be attached to the vine, bearing good fruit.
I want to be able to say, as Peterson puts Paul�s words to the Galatian believers, �Christ’s life showed me how, and enabled me to do it. I identified myself completely with him. Indeed, I have been crucified with Christ. My ego is no longer central. It is no longer important that I appear righteous before you or have your good opinion, and I am no longer driven to impress God. Christ lives in me. The life you see me living is not “mine,” but it is lived by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.�
I want to love my wife like I�m supposed to.
I want to love other people like I�m supposed to.
I want to smoke what I’m selling (thanks Rob).
I want the people around me to find wholeness and goodness in life.
I want to be less critical and more loving.
I want to be less concerned with what people think of me and more concerned with actually being helpful.
I want to see churches actually helping people to follow Jesus instead of warehousing them (thanks Todd).
I want to see churches use money more biblically.
I want to see churches give an offering rather than receive one�just one Sunday!
I want to see pastors rethink their roles so that they are helping people live as disciples of Jesus.
I want to see churches let their pastors do that.
I want to see pastors stop competing against each other and start working together—or at least cheering each other on when they do well.
I want to see churches get past the us-for-us and us-against-them mentality in regards to other churches and start thinking kingdom.
I want to see pastors allow discipleship to set the trajectory for their churches (thanks John).
I want to see people discover that discipling others is not just for �paid staff�.
I want to see people reject the lifestyle of consumerism.
I want to see myself reject the lifestyle of consumerism.
I want to see pastors stop getting discouraged by the people who don�t show up.
I want to stop being discouraged by the people who don�t show up (thanks Dallas).
I want to get over myself.
I want to see pastors pour themselves into the people who do show up.
I want to pour myself into those who do show up.
I want to see what Jesus will do with a whole community of people who will place themselves unreservedly at his will.
I want to see what Jesus will do with me when I do it.
I want to see people who have been burned by churches turn their pain into creative love.
I want to see churches be known for inexplicable forgiveness.
Is this asking too much?