Crack (and bad theology) Kills

This week I am talking about the Milestones in my life. I want to talk about the difference between acknowledging movements of God in our lives and living trying to repeat them. So many people live their Christian lives trying to duplicate something that happened before. They had a great emotional experience and they want to 'recapture the glory'. It's as if we can put God and his Spirit in a bottle and pull it out whenever we want.



I have a few phrases for this line of thought. The one that hits home with me is "Spiritual Drug Addicts"

People get a spiritual high and they always say God is moving when they get that butterfly feeling in their bellies. Growing up in Baltimore and having some experience with drugs I should inform you that the reason a person gets hooked on a drug is that their body never gives them the same spiritual high. This is why people O.D. They pump more and more of the drug into their system hoping it will recreate that first high. Drug dealers know this... this is why most drug dealers will give people a 'free hit'. They want to wet your appetite enough to get you hooked. It's a great rush... but the rush wears off.

Well, in our Christian lives if we are not careful we can get the same way. People meet Christ and they say WOW! They TRULY have an amazing encounter with the Living God... The EMOTION is amazing. The moment of understanding how depraved we are and at the same time understanding that GOD MADE A WAY THROUGH JESUS.... is an overwhelming feeling.
The head-knowledge translated into emotion.

That's awesome! The down side however is when we attach the emotion with the experience and head-knowledge. Hence the phrase "Spiritual High".

As a Youth Pastor I HATED Spiritual Highs. A kid goes to camp (spiritual high). Take the kids to a Tomlin or Crowder concert (Spiritual High). Winter retreat, bonfire moments, ladies cry and pow-wow... (Spiritual High, Spiritual High, Spiritual High). This stuff is great but as I told Calvin today... You can't re-create that spiritual high while sitting at your desk at work at 4:59 p.m. knowing that you can't go home yet b/c your project isn't finished and your wife is calling saying that the kids just broke something and they are driving her nuts. Now, granted... you COULD go into a self-induced trance enough to recreate camp or a teen sleepover... but I doubt you'd have your job very long.

No... I believe in a God of the mundane. I believe God wants to invade our everyday lives and show us how amazing a life lived in and through Him can be during the moments of ... now. The moments when nothing else is going on and it's just us.... living. Jesus died to sanctify my times of now. He didn't die only for the times of Spiritual High. Every breath of my life should be a Spiritual High. Does this mean that on the outside I'll look like a bad episode of Pee-Wees playhouse? No. I won't always have a silly grin... I won't always smile and say that life is great. Sometimes in fact I'll cry. Sometimes I'll call a friend and say "Life sucks right now." Sometimes I'll doubt my ability. Sometimes I'll stress under the burden of caring for my wife and child. Sometimes I'll wonder why my church isn't growing faster... But you know what? I won't panic and run for Spiritual Highs.

I'll crawl up into the lap of my heavenly father and spend time with Abba. I'll spend time with daddy during my mundane days. I won't run to a new place and say "God is moving me." just because I want people to think I have life all figured out. I won't run to the next church or record all of Joel Osteen's messages to get my Spiritual high... I'll pause where I am and think back to that milestone of salvation and say "Thank You Lord... If it were not for your atonement for my sin... this life would be worthless... but it's because of your sacrifice that everything not contributing to my downfall can be done with thanksgiving to give you glory! So God... in this moment at my (desk, computer, car, etc.) I praise you for all you are. I love you Abba father!