The God who is like Jesus, is always present and at work. So how do we relate to this God, where do we partner with God?
WE MEET GOD IN REALITY
Jesus spends a lot of time and energy trying to get people to be real with him
TWO STORIES
Mark 10:2-16
The pharisees are tiring to "test" Jesus. This means whatever question they have is irrelevant. Their part in the conversation is inauthentic - they have an alternative motive
Jesus spends the entire discussion trying to deal with the real issue underneath all the posturing
Mark 10:17-31
A rich man approaches Jesus wanting to know how to "inherit eternal life." This guy is at least starting to ask the right questions. However, when given an invitation to follow Jesus he balks at the instruction to sell all his possessions and give everything to the poor. Either a) his possessions are where he locates his own self-worth, or b) he was envisioning what all his wealth could do.
In both cases the people approaching Jesus are doing so in a posture that isn't looking for reality. You can always tell how Jesus will respond based on how "real" the person is being with him.
The woman caught in adultery (John 8:1-11)
The paralytic man lowered through the roof (Luke 5:17-39)
The centurion asking for the healing of a servant (Matthew 8:5-13)
LEARNING TO DEAL IN REALITY
We often try to be anywhere but where we actually are, often in some nostalgic past or future utopian fantasy. Nostalgia and optimism aren't bad, but obsession with them can lead to us being there and not here in reality - where God is working!
The only place God has access to us is right here, right now.
The only version of us God has access to is this version.
So we can stop "shoulding" on ourselves (I shouldn't have said that; I should have done this; I ought to know better). This form of beating ourselves up doesn't help us grow; it just gives us more guilt and shame, and denies how God actually feels about us.
GOD LOVES THE ACTUAL YOU!
Not the you
Your parents want you to be
Your spouse wishes you were
Your coworkers think you are
...but the actual you!
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