So I went on a youth retreat with some really awesome people the past few days, to the Outer Banks. The things we discussed, thought of, and listened to are enough to fill an entire book. Some highlights of the wonderful sessions by Pastor Gambill (=more like conversations) are these:
•The story of redemption is written on every human heart. Every good story includes an aspect of the story of God's redemption of His people, from Cinderella to Spider Man III. Even directors who are not Christians are examples of this. Pastor Gambill told me that the screen-writer for Narnia inserted Aslan saying, "It is finished." after he killed the White Witch, because it sounded like the appropriate, triumphant thing to say. C.S Lewis' great grandson or newphew or whoever who was helping the screenwriter said, how appropriate since Jesus said "It is finished" before He died on the cross and accomplishing redemption of sins! and the screen-writer said, really?? I didn't know He said that.
•People who have worldviews different than mine are not to be scoffed at (example: the self-help groups, the environmentalists, the fundamentalists, etc.) They all have elements of truth to them--desires to fulfill the common longings in every human soul. And yet they go about it in a wrong way and Christianity is what ties truth all together, completing the viewpoint. For example-self help groups see that people often are so insecure and down on themselves that it is not healthy, and so they try to boost such peoples' security and confidence. I believe self-mutilation is wrong and harmful and God does not intend it! And yet the self-help groups go about defeating such a demon in the wrong way. Jesus on the other hand, restored our relationship to ourselves in redemption, and enables us to be free in Christ! Not so that we look in the mirror and like what we see, but becasue we can look beyond ourselves and see Christ's glory and be more fulfilled in that, and how He sees us, than any puffed up view of ourselves! See the idea? So many people on this earth have the right idea because all humanity is linked with common issues, desires, and feelings, and yet only Jesus fulfills all of them with the truth of His gospel.
Similarly with environmentalism; God also restores our relationship with nature when He saves us. Environmentalists try to esteem earth as on par with mankind at best, and higher than mankind at worst, and yet through Christ we see that we can live in harmony with nature and enjoy it's beauty, not because it is beautiful in and of itself (though it is!) but because it points us to an all-powerful, all-glorious Creator who made it! So I can't scoff at environmentalists exactly, because they see perhaps some of what God intended humanity to life like with respect to nature, but I believe they come from a wrong viewpoint and don't see the whole picture.
And on and on it goes :)
•Also, motivation for dilligence and obeying God is worship. Not guilt, or even grattitude, because both instill a works-based mentality in obeying Christ. But when we see God for Who He is (as much as one lowly human can,) one cannot help but burst forth in praise, adoration, and loving others as a result! You see how different that is than, I need to be a better person. I need to try really hard to not lie, to speak kindly to others, and to be joyful. Be joyful! Grrrrr!!!!! Joy!!!!!....it just doesn't work. I can attest. Worship everyone, is the motivator for dilligence. And also relying on the Holy Spirit, Who gave power to John the Baptist, Mary, Jesus Himself, and all throughout history. "If the Holy Spirit had the power to raise Jesus from the grave, then He has the power to get you out of bed in the morning." - Pastor Gambill. We cannot conjure up emotions to obey, but we must rely on the Holy Spirit to give us strength to live and essentially, get out of bed every morning.
Anyway, this highlights thing turned into a whole summation of the whole conference so I'll stop there before I run out of room, and your mental attention :)
Hope this spoke to you as much as it did me! There's so much more, I'd love to tell you sometime if you ever want to hear :)
Wow. I've never thought about those different groups as having elements of truth... I think I generally, as you said, scoff at those groups. I tend to think "Oh brother" when I hear about them, but you have a really good point. They are just trying to fulfill their inner longings all by themselves, without the Creator who created them...
ReplyDeleteAnd your third bullet reminds me of one of your earlier blog posts about work. Not only work but diligence. You're ahead of the game! haha. Keep up the good work, Jenna! Your posts are always uplifting and fun to read!
... and don't know if it's too late, but I would love to go through "Don't Waste Your Life" with you... I seem to have trouble finishing books all by myself, anyways.