There is peace in the world tonight.
Bull.
I just returned from a very well organized, very talented staffed church Christmas … drama. And I am stunned. I have described my view of peace before but I’d like to return to it tonight. Do you really think God is in the business of making your life “peaceful”. Do you think God wants to make your life nice and cozy and comfortable? Are you the type of person that thinks God is in the business of turning traffic lights green for Christians and other stupid tasks? Are those your definitions of peace? Is peace when your favorite TV show is on every channel and never has reruns, the donuts flow like milk and honey, and money literally grows on trees? News flash Jesus did not come to make your life easy. He did not come so you never had to work, so that every thing would be fun, and you never get hurt again. Jesus did come to bring peace. To bring the kingdom of heaven hear to earth. But not make life easy. I can see where the church comes from, trying to take away the hurt of the world. Giving people that go through problems a place to turn and feel ’happy” again. But there is a problem, yes God wants to restore you, he wants to give you peace, he wants to heal your hurt but not in the way you might think.
Preachers resemble salesmen as they promise warm fuzzy feelings as an answer to your divorce, broken heart, or abused body. But are they being truthful? Is that what its really about or is this simply an offer they cant refuse? Do not misunderstand me God is in the business of restoring lives and bringing peace. That much we have gotten right, but that’s about it. I’m also not trying to say we have to work for our “comfort” “peace” but there is more to this story then 1. You cry 2. Jesus makes the boo-boo go away. There was a line in the movie Evan Almighty that I think is true “If you pray to god for patience do you think God gives you patience or the opportunity to show patience? If you ask God for courage do you think he makes you courageous or does he give you the power to show courage?”. I think that God has restored my heart, I think that the pains I have once felt no longer have their sting. I praise God for this, but I tell you truly with the utmost resolve to not sound saintly I do not have peace! I cannot find peace, I can not sit still through a bunch of “Christians” singing “there is peace in the world tonight”. How can they sing a song like that? Peace in the world? Have they heard of Iraq? Afghanistan? Child Abuse? Drug Abuse? Rape? Murder? Gangs? Theft? Fire? Hurricanes? Children being sold into sex slavery? Children turned into militant armies? Death? Suicide? Adultery? I wonder how many kids were beat by their drunken step father while we took the time to sing “there’s peace in the world tonight”?
How comfortable do we have to get to lure people into the depths of our “religion”? How many personal relationship can we hand out with a one way relationship understanding? Come find Jesus, he wants a relationship with you, you don’t have to do anything just ask him!!!!???? This is so hard to write because it is so true! God does not require or allow you to do a thing to receive grace, but like all lies we have twisted the truth if we think that time after time we can return with a sin boldly attitude. It makes me sick because a large number of us have been duped into a comatose religion where we love Jesus we really do and we know that God loves us but fail to act. There was a speaker I heard a couple weeks ago that said it something like this, work will not get you into heaven faith does, but someone without works cannot have faith.
I feel like I haven’t communicated my point very well. But I’m sick of this. Not sick like mad and frustrated, but sick inside. There is a hope for those that hurt, a strong powerful hope. I know restoration is available, but I think we settle for soo much less. We just shoot for what sounds good. Stability, comfort, security. But these are just pleasures of the flesh. Why don’t we group these feelings with things like drunkenness and sex? They might not be bad and immoral but they are just human feelings. But of course this sounds so great only GOD could give us these feelings, praise Jesus I got a raise…??? Can we not aspire to greater power? How about being imprisoned, shipwrecked, bitten by snakes, … Crucified? Only to come away with a powerful faith, where we do not hope, but we trust in an all powerful God, a God that doesn’t want you to find joy in good grades but in holding a child that thinks no one loves them, or giving a homeless man a sandwich!!!
Is it any surprise, like I just wrote, that kids/people are turning to alcohol instead of church? But this time I’m not talking about there largely better ability to offer community, I’m talking about comfort, “peace”, pleasure! If all church is, is a way to feel good, be saved and have a God give me a hug and feel warm and fuzzy inside then what good is that? I can get a fuzzy feeling from a bottle, I can feel good going a hundred and twenty with the music blaring!!! I don’t think this is what Christianity is all about by any means but I find it hard to deny that this is going on and that this is a common misconception of our faith. If it wasn’t why would people criticize our God as a crutch!! They want nothing to do with our fuzzy little feelings and being crippled, but, when we hobble around on “Jesus crutches” and smile and say “God loves you!”, can you blame them?
I cant say I have everything figured out, or by any means perfect, note I don’t say you or them in an accusing manner instead I say we and our, but if I’m wrong and this is really what this religion is all about then I would be the first to say forget it! I can find pleasure elsewhere! I want nothing to do with that, and I praise an almighty God that he has given me a true peace that there is more, and I will not rest or feel … peace… while there is such immense pain in this world. If we truly seek and pray for peace let us not expect a nice mocha latte in the morning but instead a chance to get dirty and serve someone else. And when we see the peace and restitution God can bring to others through our obedience than maybe we can feel a little slice of peace knowing there is a bit less hate and pain in this world.
If we pray for peace, Does God give us peace? Or does he give us the opportunity to give peace?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
5 comments:
My Friend -
I can't begin to address all of the anger that drove your comments - but I can address the fact that you missed the whole point of the musical. "There Is Peace In the World Tonight" is not about the lack of conflict or pain or sin or hurt - it is about the reality of Christ. It does not advocate Christianity as an anethesia to the things of life. John 14:27 was the tip off that peace was going to be redefined - you might want to look that up. You might also give some serious consideration to the lyric of I Heard the Bells On Christmas Day. The struggle presented there is very similar to yours. And finally - take a deep breath and lighten up - these people are your brothers and sisters - give them the benefit of the doubt. The main throught of the musical is - peace in NOT the absence of conflict, it is the presence of God! I know for sure the intent of the musical There Is Peace In the World Tonight - I wrote it.
Randy Vader
Matthew 10:34!!!
musical aside, still thought provoking
Dear Randy,
Anger is not what drove me to write this. But I apologize if I offended you. I see how I could have come off as angry and sounding like I despised you for the message your musical conveyed, but I am not. Your musical was simply the trigger of thought that inspired me to dig within myself. I tried to explain when I said, "I’m sick of this. Not sick like mad and frustrated, but sick inside." I was not trying to criticize your church all though I realize my statements made it seem so. I want to make sure you understand that I understand your intent and assure you your presentation was excellent. I do not doubt your intentions. However as I willingly took your words out of context to spark thought for myself I was overcome with the fact that (maybe not you and many other Christians) but the fact that many of us do use "Christianity as an anesthesia".
I hope you see my point was not to criticize or condemn your production, but to share the thought that was sparked. And I apologize again for being so harsh, but I did not think to be careful of offending those involved with the production because frankly I am shocked that any of you would read my blog. I thank you for taking the time to read and hope that "musical aside" this is "still thought provoking".
Your Brother in Christ - Andrew
Andrew -
Thank you for taking the time to address my comments. I was not offended about the production. Actually, I have never been to the church that presented the musical, although I know the director and I know they would have done a fine job. We had about 1,500 churches in the nation presenting There Is Peace in the World Tonight this December. With that kind of constituency, I take very seriously my responsibility to be Scripturally accurate and Theologically sound. That is what God will hold us accountable for - not good productions and great lighting. I think the thing that caught my attention the most was that there IS Peace in the world tonight - not the lack of war - pain - conflict -sin -sadness - but Peace - the Prince of Peace . . . in other words, the musical could just have easily been entitled - There Is Christ In the World Tonight. Paradox is not easily understood - but when imparting Kingdom Truth it must be recognized. The limited scope of the logical is not a boundary for the unlimited span of the Theological. Therefore we have a Kingdom where the meek inherit - the servants are served - the weak are made strong - the poor are enriched - the first made last and the last made first and on and on. So the fact that God gives us peace has very little to do with the external and everything to do with the indwelling - that is what I was trying to get to - that is what gives me comfort in that face of things from which I can derive no comfort at all.
I admire your desire to question and seek. I have great news for you too, Andrew - the great news is, in this Kingdom seekers find . . . the Christmas story abounds with those who will give testimony to this truth. Merry Christmas, my friend - and I pray God's peace will be defined and redefined in new and meaningful ways for you in the coming years. Don't ever let the fire go out!
Randy Vader
Post a Comment