Lights and Beauty...

I was standing outside waiting for a lift to my small/house/home/cell/core group one night looking out over Sheffield, obviously it is dark at night and all the street lights are on, I stood there thinking, this is so cool, the city looks so amazing at night. Then I looked at the stars, though they looked cool –they are massive and far away - (Do not underestimate how amazing I think the stars are, I really think they are brilliant) but at night in a big city you can see about 2 – if that. And I thought of the writers of the psalms sitting on a hill side at night with no lights and writing about the glory of God – there must have been so many stars – it would have been amazing. So what I am getting at is that we see (or at least I do) street lights on mass really amazing and beautiful, but what God made was so much more amazing and beautiful – don’t let the street lights drown that out…

This sounds good and I don’t think any one would disagree – but I think this is relevant for bringing God’s kingdom to earth. I think it is very – different people have things that they think they need, when they don’t, and they convince themselves they can use that for God, it is simple, but we need to be careful that we don’t slip into putting anything higher than God – using that rather than using him.
Worship leaders say they need the best guitars, preachers say they need loads of bibles, students convince themselves they can do better with iPod’s, DVD’s and CD’s, business man say they need palm tops and cars, while everyone thinks having an amazing computer is essential! The truth is none of these things matter – Jesus didn’t have any of it and he made the biggest difference in the world anyone has ever done – without email!? Yes, without email!

I am not naïve, and know that some things are essential for a job, and society is different today then is was with Jesus and I know it is somehow easier to worship if the guitar sounds good – but don’t sell out to it – we all know that some things we want are not necessary but we find a way to make it ok to have them. I know that so much of the time my heart isn’t as pure as I would like to think, but I am not writing to say what I do, but what we should do. If we worship God fully then we wouldn’t desire these things, but then until we get close to God’s heart we do desire these things, but they are holding us back so we have a problem – how to we get close to God, but not desire material wealth.

The rich young ruler was told to sell everything he had and follow Jesus – I know lots of people say that is just the call to him, but I think we can get some things out of it – it is about true worship. For true worship David danced in a waist coat, however this was only for a short amount of his life, and happened as the result of hundreds, if not thousands of sacrifices. This act of worship was important from David to show he was giving up his earthly status and giving everything to God. The rich man had to do the same, he had to give up what meant the most to him, and even what he would have thought was given by God, in his act of worship. For me worshiping God meant leaving my girlfriend, and going where I though God had sent me and when I was there leaving an amazing church for somewhere God wanted me to be. I think true worship is looking to God, not letting things get in the way and following gods call. For a lot of people that involves money, and I think that everyone is tempted by the idea of too much stuff at some point – but don’t get carried away with stuff, do what your father in heaven says and follow his calling!

What are the things that get in the way of you experiencing God in his true beauty? Possessions, sex, money, relationships, secure job, drugs… you have to give these things up, I know it is hard, and I don’t always manage – but in the long run it will be so much better – trust me – God is faithful and you will be blessed, maybe not blessed in the sense that God will give you stuff, blessed in that you will experience more and be more open to what he has already done it Jesus – and it will be amazing!

By following the way God calls you, you will experience so much more of the gifts he had given you, and that will be so much better than any earthly gifts you have.

James Gould, 13/06/2007