As I type I am praying my words come out correctly, not out of my natural reaction but out of a heart that really is longing to see and say things as Jesus would.
Why must christians criticize each other? This hurts my heart so greatly.
We are made in the image of God. He pronounced us GOOD. We all relate to Him in unique and beautiful ways as he created us to. There are so many facets of God, I doubt we could experience them all in one lifetime. In the court of law, people are "innocent until proven guilty." In the "court of church" it sometimes seems that people are "guilty until proven innocent." Especially when it comes to experiencing God in signs and wonders. I'm not saying that I don't think some things are far out. I used to think it was all far out. But instead of trying to talk people who say they have experienced such things out of their experience, why don't we go to God, go to the Bible, ask God to show us if it's ok, if it's real or not. God is so gracious, "such a gentlemen," as I heard someone put it before. He graciously allows us to search, to question, to wrestle with things before him and gently leads us to the answers.
Matthew 7:7 ""Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you."
Jeremiah 29:13 "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."
I absolutely love these verses. Stay real, look with an open (not critical) heart, and you will find the Lord.
Jesus will doesn't force himself on us. If something makes us uncomfortable he doesn't usually shove it in our faces. He so lovingly continues to just be in relationship with us, take us by the hand, walk through life with us.
Me? I want it all. I want all of Jesus. Why not? Why live life any other way? I have learned that most of what I thought was strange and not real is actually very real indeed. But it's not given for scientific analysis and debate and judgment. It's given in intimate moments with the Lord for encouragement, for encounter, to show his glory.
Jesus, please continue taking me on this journey. Don't leave my side for a second. Please help me feel love always, not anger toward anyone who would try to analyze away the beautiful things you have shown me in the secret place with you. The fact that I even get upset just reminds me of my constant neediness for you. You are GOOD. All the time you are good.
