If you want to WATCH today's blog post, I recommend it.
A is for “atonement”: which is not just the title of a romance novel, but it is at the center of the greatest love story ever told. One that we are all characters in.
B is for “beginning”: which is actually a much better place to start. A perfect place. A garden.
C is for “controversy”: because you’re probably going to D “disagree” with more than one of these letters. And that’s okay.
E is for “embrace”: because we’re so quick to dispel anyone who isn’t exactly like us.
F is for “faith”: not feeling, because this has a lot more to do with trusting God, even when we can’t feel him.
G is for the “gap”: that no longer exists because it has been traversed by another G “grace”.
H is for “home”: as in, a part of the family, a seat at the table, finally having a place where you truly belong.
I is for “impact”: the very word itself suggests a collision. Which means that making a difference and being a light is rarely as soft and pretty as it sounds.
J is for a “jellyfish”: cannot live outside of the water. While living in the water though, it is beautiful, electric, a work of art. Are we really that different?
K is for “kit”: because this God doesn’t come with exact instructions that tell you how to build the Lego tower. This God gives you a heap of blocks and wants to partner with you in creating something new and life-giving.
L is for “long”: because this is not a short journey, this is not even a life-long journey, this is an eternal journey. But we certainly don’t have to do it alone.
M is for “mountain”: it’s easy to find God on the mountain top. It seems obvious to turn to him in the valley. The trick is still searching for him at sea level, which is where we spend most of our time.
N is for “never”: because it’s dangerous to use absolutes when describing the Absolute. The only thing that God can never do is be categorized, predicted, or controlled.
O is for “obsolete”: because that is exactly what the church will be soon if we don’t start engaging with the world instead of judging and hiding from it.
P is for “perseverance”: because it’s over-needed, underrated, and quickly disappearing.
Q is for “quack”: the majority of people in his day thought Jesus was crazy. If people don’t think you’re a bit off, then perhaps you aren’t following him closely enough.
R is for “re”: REmain, REmind, REform, REdemption, REvolution, REsurrection, you get the idea.
S is for “soap”: which could never wash us as clean as the real S which is “salvation”.
T is for “timing”: this is not something that we are in control of. Our job is to be ready to react when the timer goes off, when He says “go”.
U is for “underestimate”: because not matter how big your view of God gets, you will always underestimate him.
V is for “vending machine”: because God is not one!
W is for “work”: we’re all so afraid of this word, but just because we aren’t saved by works doesn’t mean we’re not called to do them.
X is for “x-ray”: because a healthy interior is the key to a healthy exterior. Pure, obedient, Godly actions only flow from a pure, obedient, and Godly heart.
Y is for “yesterday”: which is a great tool for learning, but a terrible thing to define yourself by.
Z is for “zebra”: because things aren’t always as black and white as the religious leaders try and make them seem.
Which also means that none of these letters are the right answer. Nor are any of them the wrong answer. They are only one of many possible answers. What are your letters?
B is for “beginning”: which is actually a much better place to start. A perfect place. A garden.
C is for “controversy”: because you’re probably going to D “disagree” with more than one of these letters. And that’s okay.
E is for “embrace”: because we’re so quick to dispel anyone who isn’t exactly like us.
F is for “faith”: not feeling, because this has a lot more to do with trusting God, even when we can’t feel him.
G is for the “gap”: that no longer exists because it has been traversed by another G “grace”.
H is for “home”: as in, a part of the family, a seat at the table, finally having a place where you truly belong.
I is for “impact”: the very word itself suggests a collision. Which means that making a difference and being a light is rarely as soft and pretty as it sounds.
J is for a “jellyfish”: cannot live outside of the water. While living in the water though, it is beautiful, electric, a work of art. Are we really that different?
K is for “kit”: because this God doesn’t come with exact instructions that tell you how to build the Lego tower. This God gives you a heap of blocks and wants to partner with you in creating something new and life-giving.
L is for “long”: because this is not a short journey, this is not even a life-long journey, this is an eternal journey. But we certainly don’t have to do it alone.
M is for “mountain”: it’s easy to find God on the mountain top. It seems obvious to turn to him in the valley. The trick is still searching for him at sea level, which is where we spend most of our time.
N is for “never”: because it’s dangerous to use absolutes when describing the Absolute. The only thing that God can never do is be categorized, predicted, or controlled.
O is for “obsolete”: because that is exactly what the church will be soon if we don’t start engaging with the world instead of judging and hiding from it.
P is for “perseverance”: because it’s over-needed, underrated, and quickly disappearing.
Q is for “quack”: the majority of people in his day thought Jesus was crazy. If people don’t think you’re a bit off, then perhaps you aren’t following him closely enough.
R is for “re”: REmain, REmind, REform, REdemption, REvolution, REsurrection, you get the idea.
S is for “soap”: which could never wash us as clean as the real S which is “salvation”.
T is for “timing”: this is not something that we are in control of. Our job is to be ready to react when the timer goes off, when He says “go”.
U is for “underestimate”: because not matter how big your view of God gets, you will always underestimate him.
V is for “vending machine”: because God is not one!
W is for “work”: we’re all so afraid of this word, but just because we aren’t saved by works doesn’t mean we’re not called to do them.
X is for “x-ray”: because a healthy interior is the key to a healthy exterior. Pure, obedient, Godly actions only flow from a pure, obedient, and Godly heart.
Y is for “yesterday”: which is a great tool for learning, but a terrible thing to define yourself by.
Z is for “zebra”: because things aren’t always as black and white as the religious leaders try and make them seem.
Which also means that none of these letters are the right answer. Nor are any of them the wrong answer. They are only one of many possible answers. What are your letters?
