Full-Time Life

I used to love the power verses of the gospels. Charismatics do, you know. Listen to a charismatic and in a few minutes we'll convince you that Jesus performed miracles from morning till night..... that He lived so deeply "in the Spirit" (we say in hushed, awestruck voices) that God's power oozed out of His every pore. Constantly.

We charismatics love power. We revere those who seem to demonstrate God's power.....healings, miracles, prophecies.......and we get pretty good at never allowing ourselves to wonder if God is really the source of the alleged power displays.

Somehow along the power-seeking journey, many Christians learn to separate life into two categories: the sacred and the secular. Or the clergy and the laity. Or the anointed and the wannabes. Or the holy and all the rest of us.

So we look longingly at those who have reached the pinnacle of "full-time ministry", and think that someday, maybe, God will anoint us so that OUR lives count for Him. See how religion can mess up people's minds?

Jesus played with children and washed feet and worried that people were hungry and walked and slept and cried. He radiated God's life, and that life made everything He did holy. Sacred. Anointed, if we must use the charismatic word.

Jesus didn't divide His life into the sacred and the secular. God's life permeated every action He took, every word He spoke, every breath He breathed.

And Jesus never mentioned "full-time ministry" as a goal to be attained. He spoke of abundant life, His life in ours, that would touch every aspect of our being.

Is going to work holy? Yes. Changing diapers sacred? Yes. Watching TV anointed? Yes. Are you getting it?

Refuse to tolerate the lie of "sacred vs. secular." Refuse to accept anything that implies that you are divided from the life of Christ. Refuse to see yourself as "less than".......you are complete in Christ!

-Mickey