So, they always say that sex sells…so let’s see what happens with this post! Actually, isn’t this a name of some book…?
In all honesty I wasn’t going to even write a thing tonight…for I have had a not so good day and really am looking forward to that point where my head hits the pillow and I am out for the night – or until one of my kids wakes me up…but God knew I needed a little pick me up. Oh, that probably doesn’t sound right…so let me get to my point.
I started listening to this series about “community” from Sanctuary (the young adult ministry at MPPC) a few days ago…perfectly entitled “Togethericity” (I love the making up of words!)…and even started listening to the last sermon in the series when I got interrupted and never finished up. Until tonight…when it was God’s perfect timing but of course. The last sermon is about practicing joy.
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| YOU NEED ANOTHER PARTY |
Yes, you read that right…”practicing” joy. “But I thought joy was just a feeling to be felt?” I hear you asking…me too until about 30 minutes ago. I mean, I knew joy was something more than just pure happiness…something that you can feel down in the depths of your soul even when the surfacey feeling of happiness is not there. Yet, I have NEVER heard from any one or any where that we are actually supposed to practice joy by practicing celebration.
However, the more I think about this…the more I think, “Duh!” No really…of course “practicing celebration” with others in community…practicing even when you do not FEEL like celebrating or feel any joy…practicing because it is another pillar of the faith and not something to be avoided…yes, of course this makes sense. For when you actually allow yourself to reflect back on the good that God has brought into your life through “practicing celebration”…even when you are in the earthquakes and your whole world is shattered…
….that is when you can say you have learned the secret to being content, of having joy whether in good times or bad, in times of plenty or of want.
….that is when God can lean down and infuse your spirit, your soul with a little bit of Himself…when our spirits meet His spirit and we are lifted out of the miry pit of despair that is our life.
….that is when we in turn can lift our praises up to God and tell our souls to rejoice in the Lord always…singing right along with the angels and other saints in one BIG PARTY!
For me, this makes me want to fire up the BBQ (if I had one), pull out all the food and other fermented drinks (which I do know how to make some of those, but not ones most of you are used to), turn up the music and get the party on! Only, it is 9pm on a weeknight…so I guess I’ll have to wait.
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| THIS IS ABOUT THAT |
“Okay – so what about the whole sex part?” Gosh, impatient you are…hmm, I’ll pray for you on this one. Alright, so we started a new series at Sanctuary about…well you know. I have to say God’s timing for me – is well interesting yet again…and this is where I will not share that with you. Yet, I just had to share the message with you. For our culture — and even our churches — I believe have REALLY messed us up on this topic…all of us: singles, married, divorced and anything in between. And I LOVE that Scotty and the Sanctuary/MPPC team are not afraid to talk about this all too important topic, no matter how awkward and hard and embarrassing some of us might get – so that we have the opportunity to learn what sex in God’s eyes really means to and for us. And perhaps, just perhaps we can all start over again…whether you are single, married, divorced or somewhere in between to find:
…. it is never too late to start getting it right more than wrong
….. it is never too late to find healing versus shame and/or guilt
…. it is never too late to become a “new” creation in this area of our life
I will leave you with this analogy to mull over before you go and listen to the talks. Bear with me for I am really stretching my mind on making this connection…but hopefully it will work:
I dropped my iPhone for the upteenth time two weeks ago. It is now shattered in a tragically interesting pattern. Yet, somehow…some way… unbeknownst to me…the darn thing is still sticking together. I’ve got that little plastic thing over it so that I don’t slice my finger to pieces. I can still see enough thru the crevices to dial, check email and Facebook, take notes, etc. I know you are wondering why I don’t just replace the darn thing…and there are some very good reasons why.
1) My contract isn’t up for renewal or whatever it is until 11/27…just a little over a month away. So I would have to pay the premium on the new iPhone…almost $500. I’ve tried calling – just once so far – and didn’t get any where.
3) I’ve heard that maybe there is a new iPhone 5 coming out next June…can I wait that long?
2) In a way, and this is the biggest reason, every time I pull out my phone it is a small reminder of what is going on in my life right now. That even though my life is laying shattered in ruins all around me, my “house” is totally unrecognizable…and I have to be careful where I step, sit or lay down in attempts to not harm myself – that somehow I am still holding together. I keep pleading with God to start bringing the pieces together a little quicker so I have something to grab onto, something to plant my feet firmly on…yet, kind of like AT&T telling me I can’t get my discount till next month…I guess God is telling me it is not my time to have that grounding quite yet…that I need to wait a few more “months” to see how the shattered disaster of my life will turn into something new and beautiful.
Furthermore, I hear God asking me to keep stepping out into the tattered mess…and when stepping out seems like too much…to at least be willing to turn and face the pain of my life – in all areas…including my sex life…so that when it is HIS timing – all things will be magically transformed into the new iPhone 4S. AND…and thru this time…not to stop “practicing celebration” – for that might be the “little plastic thing” holding my shatteredness together, keeping me from hitting rock bottom completely and completely never coming back.
Honestly, as I think about it, I wouldn’t settle for just an iPhone 4 at this point – so why would I want to settle for God’s 2nd best just because it comes a “month” earlier with less pain and suffering?
So I offer this up to you to think about…where in your life are you “shattered to pieces”? Is it your sex life (wait to answer this until you listen!)? Is it your one or many of your relationships? With your children or your job search? Is it the fact you just can’t break the cycle of addiction- whatever kind it is? Is it because you have been wrongly judged, accused of things you know you did not do?
Whatever the case, I ask that you would know that there is a “little piece of plastic” covering your life, holding all your pieces together…and that you will get thru this time. Just don’t forget to have a little fun remembering how GOOD God is…not how miserable life on earth is, not how awful your personal journey is…but how GOOD God is despite all of this.
FOR….
…..He still loves you
…He still pursues you with a burning passion no other romance novelist ever could write
…He still wants to see you live abundantly in this life time…
….but He knows you might just need to wait out the “months” to get there, because to get that new iPhone will be SOO WORTH THE WAIT!
Really good and insightful post. Very Biblically sound too. Congrats!
Thanks Ralph! Glad it was helpful…hope to hear from you again.