Sounds in My Soul

My heart is full this morning.  My purpose in life is see God grow bigger in the eyes of his created humanity, and yet how can we do that in American Christianity when our focus on God and his glory and plan is so dim.  We are so inundated with Christianity and have been so blessed in this country that we have put Christ and his glorious gospel on a shelf while exalting man and his goodness.  This has happened all the while under our noses under the guise of spirituality.  The sweet Psalmist exclaims, “Let the nations be glad!” while we complain about the falling economy.  I sit and type on a computer in a climate controlled office with a plethora of Bible translations before me, studying to preach to people who have probably heard the same thing over and over again, while thousands of peoples in Indonesia, Thailand, Bangladesh have never even seen a Bible in their own language.  Have we really got it figured out in American churches where we argue over translation philosophy and a new translation is produced every year or so while these dear souls slip into eternity never reading any translation of John 3:16?  I need to watch what I eat otherwise I start to gain weight, we have a gluttony problem in our culture; while 12 year girls in Cambodia are sent by their fathers to sell their bodies to perverts and pedophiles in order to bring home food for the day.  Many of those girls will die from AIDS never hearing about the sacrifice of Jesus who said, “I am the Bread of Life, he that believes on me will never hunger.”  Small churches in India, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Kosovo, Albania, and many more nations will meet in secret with joy and gladness to sing, pray, and praise God–make Him great!  While our churches are filled, and if you don’t like the preacher, the music, the building, the tone, the instruments you can just drive a few more miles and find another one.  Believers in nations around the world will walk miles, ride in the back of wagons, rise while it is early just to get to hear the Word of God, while I complain about having to get up an hour earlier on Sunday because of Daylight Savings Time.  Our American churches are fat and plentiful and we have gorged ourselves on the Gospel to the point it bores us to hear it once again; we need entertainment, excitement, something or someone to stir us. . . we are no longer stirred by the simple phrase, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life, no man comes to the Father but through Me.”  Our buildings must be bigger, more modern, more technological, more flashy, and attractive.  We have lost our way, my brothers and sisters.  Where is the hunger for Christ; where is the passion for Truth?  Where is reckless abandon that Jesus spoke of?  Where is the risk that Christ exemplified?  Where is the bold advance of the Kingdom? I fear that American Christianity has become a novelty. . . something to do, something to experience, something to be wooed into.  American Christianity has been about extremes, we are a slave to our conservative traditions or we are entangled with worldliness.  We ascribe to a set of rules or we throw off all rule. We want our leaders to tell us what to do or we are so set in our ways no one can tell us anything.  And the worst part about all of it, it is me!  I am guilty! A God-ward focus in my life, just wanting to make God greater in the eyes of others is lacking.  Forgive me, my God.  Return me to see your glory.  Drive me to my knees, break me!  I am weak and you are strong, humble me and make me useful for your glory.  Restore to me the joy of your Salvation and renew a right spirit within me.  Drive far from me apathy, complacency, bitterness, and a warring spirit unless that war is against the gates of hell.  I do not know where my heart has left yours, but draw me back to You.  O God, your mercy endures forever and you are of a gracious heart, please heal my sick soul and bow me low before your throne.  Then will I be able to teach sinners your truth; then will I be able to show your glory!  Make me your simple servant and send me to your fields to work wherever and however you lead.  Make me die daily, that Christ might live through me!