The Local Church is the Hope of the World

I recently attended a wonderful church service at Willow North Shore, a satellite of Willow Creek Community Church, which was started by Bill Hybels 36 years ago.  It just so happened that that Sunday was the anniversary of the church’s establishment so Hybels gave the main message.  Wow, did he hit the nail on the head.  Apparently, Hybels has often been quoted for saying, “the local church is the hope of the world.”  During his message yesterday he told the story of when he first came to this realization and how it's affected his ministry since.

As I sat there listening to the message and worshiping in the moment I clearly felt the Holy Spirit’s presence.  This ‘feeling’ was an answered prayer as I had specifically asked God to rein down on me during the service, to reveal Himself.  As is always the case, God is faithful to provide when we seek Him with our whole heart. Listening to the passion in Hybel’s voice brought tears to my eyes.  He eloquently stated what I had been feeling for some time:  There must be something more that the Church can do.  We must be able to affect people’s live more greatly and more directly than we are  now.  To summarize his message, Hybels challenged us to become an Acts 2 church.

On the drive home I had a great conversation with God.  Essentially, my thoughts went like this:

"God, I know that You want to bless me.  I know that you plant desires in my heart and that as I trust in You, You will fulfill them in your timing.  But Lord, if I know that You place the desires in my heart why do I so often feel undeserving of them?  Why am I so quick to deny the blessings You provide? Why do I doubt that you want to bless me abundantly?  For even Your Word says that You came so that we may have life and have it abundantly.  I pray for You to expand my territory, to use me in a mighty way, to provide for me and yet when you do all these things I feel spoiled and unworthy.  How dare I question how you chose to bless me."

As is often the case, God spoke to me through my own thoughts, answering my questions as I was still forming them, challenging my own thoughts.  He's good like this.   God desires to bless us richly.  There is nothing we can do to earn these blessings.  He does it because He loves us unconditionally.

That Sunday I was reminded of the Church's role in this temporary home.  There is much work to be done here on Earth.  But, I was also reminded of God's goodness - He desires to bless us abundantly as we serve Him and serve others, if only we will allow Him to do so. 

Reminded of my love

One of the books I’m currently reading is Crazy Love by Francis Chan.  I’m about halfway through….so far it’s been okay, not anything earth shattering but a good reminder nonetheless.  I think the book is definitely applicable for those maybe a little newer in their Christian walk, but me, I’m an old hat.  Ha, ya right.  Anyways, moving past the book review…a section I recently read caught my attention.

Chan quotes from John Piper, who poses the following question in his book God Is the Gospel: “If you could have heaven, with no sickness, and with all the friends you ever had on earth, and all the food you ever liked, and all the leisure activities you ever enjoyed, and all the natural beauties you ever saw, all the physical pleasures you ever tasted, and no human conflict or any natural disasters, could you be satisfied with heaven, if Christ was not there?”

Perhaps some background leading up to this question would be helpful.  In this particular chapter Chan is discussing our love for God.  He prefaces this section with a beautiful story about his wife’s grandmother and how, near the end of her life, she spent hours praying with God and how she looked forward to the start of each new day in order to spend this time with her Savior.  As I read about this woman named Clara I questioned (as I’ve done before) my love for God.  Do I truly love Him?

Chan goes on to describe how we act when we’re madly in love with someone.  I’ve been in love like this a few times and must say, he hit the nail on the head.  Staying up all hours to talk, driving long hours just to see them for a little while, doing things you’d never thought you’d do for someone; being apart is painful, being together never last long enough….As I read this I compared it to how I am with Christ – it’s not like this, not any more at least. 

But after I read the question posed by Piper, about being in heaven without Christ, I knew.  To me there is no heaven if Christ is not there…..all of those good things would be empty and meaningless.  And this, this knowing, reminded me and showed me that I do love Christ, that my love for Him runs deep and cannot be shaken. As I was smiling and resting in this, God reminded me that all ‘madly in love’ relationships start off with big burning flames but true relationships are those where the burning embers survive the test of time; where years later, when the flames may have diminished, the burning embers still remain, fueling off of one another, constantly generating heat.  And this is where I am with Christ, with my Savior, with the One I love, who loves me unconditionally, undeniably. 

Chan, F. (2008) Crazy love. David C. Cook Publishing: Colorado Springs, CO

Piper, J. (2005) God is the gospel. Crossway: Wheaton, IL