Ecc. 7-9 and Ephesians 4

Our question this morning was: : Say life is like a mall and there is the kiosk with the map saying 'you are here' with a big star or arrow...where are you?
It was amazing how quickly I saw myself...sitting at the lonely information desk.

Whether it is being 50 or truly Christ I don't know, but I very quickly can flesh this metaphor or analogy out in my minds eye.

Life is a mall or perhaps more accurately for my purposes the journey is a mall ......I can remember being in the mall for the first time and being impressed with it. A place to run around and it HAD everything and it was mine for the taking. And then it hits you that it all costs. So I probably enjoyed looking around for awhile and then got my first job in the mall....and I enjoyed that, the people I was working with, the goods I was providing or selling or...all of it was amazing. But then I became dissatisfied with 'the store' I was in and of course being all about me I wasn't satisfied going just to another store and I wasn't at all ready for management, I became one of THOSE people. You know the ones walking around with their clipboards that you duck when you see them and they are very persistent and annoying.

Now I feel as though I am at the Information Desk and you know....until you are really lost you pretty much avoid them...no that's not right...you just don't need them but boy when you do.......you are sure glad they are there and only hope that they are kind and point you in the right direction. Wonder how...wonder what......No I have the best BOSS in the world and for right now that's where I am at........


Reading Ecc. this morning, struck by the wisdom of Solomon and how it makes sense to me today. The whole of the hopelessness, the randomness of life and yet in Christ I have hope and TRUST that in the randomness He is being revealed, slowly and more and more. My sitting at the Information Desk is not something I earned....not something I even remember getting to or deserve I KNOW THIS and that I see myself there...???...No I just do, see it......the being in the possession of such amazing privilege.......to be in a relationship w/ the God of the universe through my dependence on His word...His Son......I can see God in everything....I trust Him in everything.....I desire the chaos of knowing this more and more because....because......outside the mall is a sea of people who don't even know that what is in here is INCREDIBLE and full of HOPE.....It's a really good place to be......good but not necessarily a safe place to be and yet safer than what is outside it.......

How can we live our lives dangerously safe???????

So how can we work together to make this place, this journey, this mall, this church....and then.... in Ephesians 4: 1 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

So how do we do this?? Whether it be here in blogosphere....in our homes....our churches....our lives.....completely humble and gentle, bearing with one another in love. In Christ we are so loved as to be loving, the key is living in that love isn't it? These are just my thoughts and I by no means have anything 'figured out' and am not intending to be preachy but IF you are reading this and KNOW Christ then let's do it and if you don't.......then find the information desk and begin to ask questions........and for me the information desk is the Bible.......and it's all just words until.......

Eph.4: 20 You, however, did not come to know Christ that way. 21 Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
25 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. 26 "In your anger do not sin" Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold. 28 He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need.
29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Until we realize we have the instructions, the teachers, the coaches all around us and we don't know as much as we think we do...we don't care as much as we think we care...we don't love as much as we think we love.......and when we realize that or whatever it is for you that God wants you to realize then THEN we KNOW how very much we NEED Christ and in that need and forgiveness we are free.......