kiss the brand new day

i just want to fly
put your arms around me, baby
(sugar ray)

Hello, world.
It’s a beautiful day. :)

This morning, was reading about Jesus’ first miracle. Turning water into wine, not only wine but the best wine.

My friend, Jonolan, posted this bit…it gets into a little about our ideas of God…who He is, what He looks like…and I think too often we construct God in our own image instead of remembering we’ve been created in His. What He chooses to reveal to us is only the smallest fraction of his infinite and glorious nature. In conjunction with my reading this morning…here’s a God whose first miracle was providing wine for a wedding feast - Jesus, providing drink for a party? Is that the kind of God we Christians (collectively) often talk about or relate to? Not too often in most circles I visit…but God has chosen to reveal certain stories and bits and pieces of Himself to us and He chose to convey that.

I wonder in what other ways we construct God to fit our image?

I was part of a discussion the other week about the things we bring to Christianity that aren’t any part of the gospel - the things we add. It’s disgusting and sad to me, really. Strip down Christianity, the burgeoning “religion” and let’s get back to the man, Jesus, and following Him. Let’s get back down to the basics of the gospel - the good news. Let’s shred all the grime and burden and bags we’ve added to this “beast” that has become known as “Christianity.”

In what ways have I added my own ideas about who God is? In what ways do I conveniently put God in a box? If I had any idea who He fully was, would I live life the way I do?

I tremble in awe before Him…as it is now, but I know I only see through a mirror dimly…but one day, face to face.

Shall I laugh, dance, or cower in a corner, ashamed to be in the same room as my Lord and Savior, the Creator of all?

Reminded of writings by Erwin McManus The Barbarian Way or Donald Miller in Searching For God Knows What. What have we made Christianity out to be? “Christianity has become our Shawshank, and our redemption will only come if we find the courage to escape the prison we have created for ourselves.” (McManus)

Desiring to know God for who He is, not for who I, or anyone else, makes Him out to be…