We Have A Problem in the Christian Faith—Vol.1 Ch. 6

We have a problem. By 'We' I mean the Christian Church.

There is an apathy, a growing discouragement and a potential explosion from shore to shore of many countries today. We have gotten away from some basics, some truths about life on this earth.

Often people attend church without a reason other than habit, a social event, or a guilt trip. Often pastors preach out of duty, job, or even with a lack of belief.

And the sadness: The solution to the problem is a relationship that awaits us. A relationship available and easily within our reach.

This relationship is not forbidden, or hidden.

Sometimes living in a country that allows us to enjoy this Bible, this Life, also creates in us a despondency or boredom with a relationship that truly stands up to the word awesome. WE ARE ENTERTAINMENT JUNKIES. If a relationship doesn't have bells and whistles, make us feel happy (not joyfilled-happy, but giddy feeling-happy) all the time, we junk it.

We want relationships that meet our whims, instead of relationships that meet our deep needs.

Yes, and an awesome relationship is what is available in God. But instead of entering into this awesomeness, we veer away from it.

We are starving for something to hold on to. Something to give us ground we can build on.

And as is often the case, we walk away from the simple for the complicated.

A step in faith cannot be explained. It cannot be calculated. It can only be experienced. It can only be simply trusted. As children we come, as children we are received.

Almost 40 years of my life have been held together by reading the Bible on a regular basis and sinking those words into my heart over time. I am not perfect. I don't claim to be. But I do know this. As a woman that fights fear, I have found my battle less horrifying when fought between the pages of the Holy Scriptures.

Me, in my prayer chair, reading, listening, contemplating, writing, reading, stopping, and having faith that what I am reading was written as a Love Letter directly to me from God.

My prayer chair became a place for me to read, reflect and live out what God was giving me to ponder. No bells and whistles were added.

I began to read through the Bible when I was a new mother of three children ages 5 and under. I was only 25. I had been active in church from my youth; after marriage and children I had continued going to church, singing in the choir, and even going to Sunday School. Yet something was missing. I felt that it was cold and unmeaningful. I had known a desire  before that was lacking now.

I remember calling a friend of mine in Cincinnati, Ohio and crying on the phone. "Debbie, I am afraid I have committed the unpardonable sin."

My friend Debbie actually laughed out loud. Now mind you I was balling my eyes out, like doing the whole ugly cry on the other end of the phone, and she started laughing.

But this wise young woman brought me up with a start, "Now Robyn, I don't think if you had committed the unpardonable sin you would be crying about it. You just need to get real with God and tell Him you want to know Him. He wants to know us. He will make Himself known to us if we ask Him to."

I hung up the phone and found myself lying prostrate on my bedroom floor. I remember a depth of my heart breaking and without ever knowing I would share this with the world I got real with God. I begged Him to make Himself known to me. All I wanted was to be able to hear His voice and to touch His hand.

As a child, no answers, no pretense, no agenda, I picked up my Bible that day. I opened it. I read. And, I cried. and the next day... and the next... very simply. Very easily, this child took one step at a time, hiding the word in my heart.

in a year, or two, or three I realized that I had read the entire Bible and it wasn't that overwhelming. I came back daily over time and read word by word, page by page, chapter by chapter, book, by book. I jumped around in the books, even in the chapters. But, I let the words sink in without having someone else, other than God telling me what they meant. I simply prayed and asked God to cleanse my heart with His words.

It wasn't difficult. It wasn't overwhelming. I was gentle with myself, because God is gentle with us.

But I needed Him. I still do. If you are honest with yourself, you do to.

And as we do this mysterious, yet methodical process of intimate time with God we will grow deeper in HIM. Because: "In the beginning was The Word and the word was with God and the word was God." John 1:1

Do you need something to ground you? Are you feeling the sway and push and pull of life? Have you ever just got HONEST and REAL with the great I AM?

Let us know, we would appreciate the opportunity to pray with you for simple faith to enter into His Words and begin to hide them in your heart.
Come and join us, or comment below.

Because He IS the I AM, i am
robyn rochelle cox

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