The Cost of Freedom
I've got about an hour before I have to leave for church so I figured I'd post something while I wait. Last night we switched to daylight savings time so we gained an extra hour. So even though my clock says it's 8:45am, my body thinks it's 9:45am.
Friday night at youth was pretty fun. We watched part 2 of a video series called Quest which is quite profound at times. It's designed for youth, but I know I'm getting a lot out of it and I know the church as a whole could. I guess the big question of this session was, if Jesus came that we may have life, and have it to the full (John 10:10b) then why is church so boring? Why have Christians made so many rules to suck the enjoyment out of life? And then why do we wonder why we're losing our youth at such a phenomenal rate? It's definitely an in your face type of series that really makes you think about why you think the way you do.
After the series we went to the Christian radio station to run the youth show for the night. Each youth group looks after Friday nights once a month. Definitely a great idea by the owners of the station. The youth pick the songs, do the hosting with Steve, and even run the sound board. Meanwhile the rest of us the hang out and listen. Since it's Halloween weekend the majority of us dressed up. Hopefully I'll have some pics soon.
While at the station, my buddy Ian, and I got talking a bit. And with Ian most conversations end up being about women and the struggle to stay sane in our singleness. He started asking me what I do, and I wasn't terribly proud of my answers. He asked if I read my Bible, do a devotional, etc. Basically the questions was whether I'm involving God in my solution to my depression. And I had to answer no. For years now I've been turning to my computer, to movies, to friends, even to naps ... anything but God. I know Ian looks up to me since he's a few years younger than I, but I so don't have the answers he's looking for. I'm in nearly the exact same place he is. His depression is even more intense than mine so when he comes to me depressed I don't have a clue what to do with him. I don't try and "fix" him cause I know how frustrating it can be having someone try to "fix" me. I desperately want them to, but it rarely works. In the back of my mind I probably don't want to be fixed cause that would mean I'd lose the attention I'm getting from them by being depressed.
The last verse of "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing", written by Robert Robertson in 1758, always strikes a chord in me. I am so prone to wander away from God, the One who loves me more than I can ever imagine. In some ways it would be great if God would chain me too Him so when I wander too far away He can give the chain a yank and pull me back. But that's not His way. I know I'd come to resent that chain over time. He gives us the freedom to roam even though He knows how damaging that freedom can be to us.
Matthew.
Friday night at youth was pretty fun. We watched part 2 of a video series called Quest which is quite profound at times. It's designed for youth, but I know I'm getting a lot out of it and I know the church as a whole could. I guess the big question of this session was, if Jesus came that we may have life, and have it to the full (John 10:10b) then why is church so boring? Why have Christians made so many rules to suck the enjoyment out of life? And then why do we wonder why we're losing our youth at such a phenomenal rate? It's definitely an in your face type of series that really makes you think about why you think the way you do.
After the series we went to the Christian radio station to run the youth show for the night. Each youth group looks after Friday nights once a month. Definitely a great idea by the owners of the station. The youth pick the songs, do the hosting with Steve, and even run the sound board. Meanwhile the rest of us the hang out and listen. Since it's Halloween weekend the majority of us dressed up. Hopefully I'll have some pics soon.
While at the station, my buddy Ian, and I got talking a bit. And with Ian most conversations end up being about women and the struggle to stay sane in our singleness. He started asking me what I do, and I wasn't terribly proud of my answers. He asked if I read my Bible, do a devotional, etc. Basically the questions was whether I'm involving God in my solution to my depression. And I had to answer no. For years now I've been turning to my computer, to movies, to friends, even to naps ... anything but God. I know Ian looks up to me since he's a few years younger than I, but I so don't have the answers he's looking for. I'm in nearly the exact same place he is. His depression is even more intense than mine so when he comes to me depressed I don't have a clue what to do with him. I don't try and "fix" him cause I know how frustrating it can be having someone try to "fix" me. I desperately want them to, but it rarely works. In the back of my mind I probably don't want to be fixed cause that would mean I'd lose the attention I'm getting from them by being depressed.
The last verse of "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing", written by Robert Robertson in 1758, always strikes a chord in me. I am so prone to wander away from God, the One who loves me more than I can ever imagine. In some ways it would be great if God would chain me too Him so when I wander too far away He can give the chain a yank and pull me back. But that's not His way. I know I'd come to resent that chain over time. He gives us the freedom to roam even though He knows how damaging that freedom can be to us.
O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I'm constrained to be!
Let thy grace, Lord, like a fetter,
Bind my wandering heart to Thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here's my heart, Lord, take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above.
Matthew.
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