I'm reading a book by Kevin Roose called The Unlikely Disciple: A sinner's semester at America's Holiest University. The basic premise of the book is that this atheist student from Brown, one of the most liberal schools in the country, spent a semester at Liberty University, one of the most conservative evangelical Christian schools. I am about a hundred pages in and what I am finding is surprising me. One passage in particular has stuck out to me: I'm still adjusting to all the earnest God talk I'm hearing at Liberty. From time to time, it still feels like I walked onto the set of a Lifetime movie. But one thing has become clear: these Liberty students have no ulterior motive. They simply can't contain thier love for God. they're happy to be believers, and they're telling the world.
I am touched by this statement, because I have to wonder what people at ACU think of us. Are we simply posting a Jesus-y facebook profile, or is it a genuine overflow of our love for God. As an insider, I must confess that I would have to say a bit of both. In any case, isn't that a great challenge, to be seen by the world as someone who has no ulterior motive, but simply can't contain thier love for God? I recently read Francis Chan's book Crazy Love, a book all about the love God has for us and the love we ought to have in return. To be honest, I wasn't terribly impressed with the book. He quoted a lot of scripture and had very little to say that was origional, there seemed to be a lack of new insight.(Disclaimer: everyone else I know loved the book, so you really probably shouldn't take my word for it...) But tonight, as I'm taking some time to think with my heart instead of my head, I have to wonder if I really am experiencing that Crazy Love Chan talks about, that love that simply can't be contained as Roose describes it. Personally, my suscpicion is that I am- which is surprising to me. Growing up I was never particularly emotional about my spiritual life (or anything else for that matter). I always felt like everyone else was having these great God moments where they felt convicted of thier sin, or uncontrollable praise, and I never knew what all the fuss seemeed to be about. More recently though, I have learned that God is found in both the least and most obvious of places. Furthermore, when I look for him he shows up much more often than I give Him credit for. I have come to understand that loving God means a lot of different things, not all of which are emotional (although I have become much more emotional). Sometimes love for God is obedience, especially obedience when you think its stupid... and sometimes love for God is patience-waiting on the Lord... and sometimes love for God is not keeping score... I don't know, I'm still learning. Anyways, be blessed.
Jesus answered them: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the most important commandment." Mark 12:34-35
1 comment:
Shannon, don't feel bad about your feelings about Crazy Love. I think I felt the same way about it — I liked what he was saying, and I felt convicted, but I also felt like it was stuff I had heard before.
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