WWJD? I admit it was one of the first "must-haves" for me as a new "Christian" my first time at the Christian bookstore. I needed to have a WWJD bracelet so people would know I was "Christian". I also purchased a fish for our car, a wooden cross for my neck and tons of mangets for my fridge (in case someone came over and I forgot to wear my bracelet they could clearly see by my fridge that I loved Jesus). Yes these are part of my early JESUS FREAK days I am a little embarrassed about but the enthusiasm behind those purchases I would like to have back. I would love to have the fire in my step that made everything I saw in that store seem so exciting. If I had the money I would have bought one of everything.
I found that bracelet the other day when i was cleaning out the bathroom-sorry Jesus you ended up on the bottom of the cupboard underneath Tom razor and the "feminine hygiene products" Sorry. When did that happen? when did I decide i no longer needed to remind myself WWJD? and how did he end up under there? I think I might know. I remember a day when I realized that I no longer needed that stupid bracelet because I was becoming a "mature disciple" who knew the real Jesus. The Jesus who didn't care about the bracelet I wore but cared about the fact that I attended church on a regular basis, didn't watch bad t.v shows, tithe my money to my church, making sure my family lived in the safe neighborhood and my kids went to a safe school, i stopped swearing and of course stopped referring to Jesus as a guy who would sit and have a drink with us by a fire. When I went looking for my FREAK the other day I was so scared that what i found was this pretty, safe, quiet Jesus who had his arms open to hug and approve of my life Jesus. What have I done!?! No wonder I've lost my JESUS FREAK I turned him into Western church wear Jesus. Oh Jesus please forgive me!
I have been slapped back into reality by a fantastic book that was suggested to me by a fellow JESUS FREAK friend named Sue. Sue goes to a crazy church where people who attend are allowed to choose what song they sing right on the spot, and they talk openly about the passage they just read and sometimes someone shouts out right in the middle of it but no one has a meeting to decide if they should allow that person to continue attending, everyone is welcome-just like that big book says. I love Sue. I love that she is ruined for "normal" church-clean ,white, properly dressed normal church. The book she suggested to me after sitting in her office for a few hours confessing that I wanted to get my FREAK back was, Sacrilege by Hugh Halter. I am only 3 chapters in and drowning in the FREAK! I am loving it so much i think I will suggest to some friends that I think are borderline FREAKS that we read this together and discuss-like in a "Small group" only where you can give your opinion freely without fear of going too far with your FREAK. If you get a chance to get it-I just started it but even if the rest of this is pure garbage it is worth the money for the first 3 chapters.
Its a book that reminds you who Jesus was in scripture-the guy who produced MORE wine when the people had already been partying for hours. The guy who hung out with prostitutes and half-breeds,the guy who had a blatant disregard for the rules and regulations of the day. The people who started to follow him did just that-they followed HIM not doctrine or theology they followed HIM and learned along the way. That's all he asked.To follow HIM. Now. not when you know enough about scripture not when you've said the perfect prayer of repentance but now. I love a JESUS who I know would sit by a fire and have a drink with me. Listen to me, talk to me, love me. A JESUS who expects me to simply go out and Love others, listen to others and maybe even have a drink with them. I know we are called to be in the world but not of the world but I am pretty sure that didn't mean we walk among the "others" i think it meant there are no"others". I am in love with JESUS but my mother said I always liked the "rebels" and you know shes right, I do I love my counter-cultural,rule breaking,wine-making JESUS! I cant wait to learn more about him and do my darnedest to follow Him.
Minute by minute,day by day, I'll try my best.
P.S thats all HE asks. Our best.
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