Call of the Wild

I woke yesterday from a dead sleep. Being pulled from my slumber by something familiar, something gnawing at my insides.

I began my reading in Philippians as if He was guiding my hand. What stuck in my heart was this..."Being confident of these very thing,that He who has begun a good work in you, will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ."

I have always thought of faith in Jesus as more that it had been portrayed to me as a child and teen. I mean what about all the adventure in the Bible? We just supposed to just blow that off and become well...What we are? seems kind of pointless, if all we are to do is not be...whatever.

in my heart there is a wildness that roams in the midnights of my soul. Something has always seemed to call me to more...more than.

at the same time, I wonder as I drive home in Southeast Florida traffic each day after work what that looks like. To possess a wild Faith that I read about in Scripture. The life of Jehu, David, Paul and Jesus.

There are not a lot of models for such faith today. Most men are just happy to live a life that has them withdrawing from everything and calling that faith. No living, no experiencing, nothing that inspires the people to strive to be inspired. just setteling into weekly services, the occasional deacons meeting, then loosing it during a sports event. that primal stuff has to get out somewhere. certainly can't do it at church.

it is funny though, as the Jews got really proud of themselves and the Temple had built for them, as they became leaders of the Law and as they were pillars of the religious community...When all that happened, God sent a wild man freak from the wilderness to usher in the Kingdom. Some ragged looking, bug eating, camel skinned dude preparing the way for the King Himself. No white robes, no pretty ties, no big pulpits, no need for pasrking no need for choirs...Just a simple message..."Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand." wonder what would happen if a rough looking dude showed up at 1 mega church place and said he had a word from God? would we be spiritually attentive enough to know if he actually had a word?

it seems to me that the freak, the wild man has always been at the anti message that reminded the complacent and the comfortable that it was time for a change.

in the beauty and wonder that is the mega church age, where thousands flock each week like cattle to feeding, it is like a tribe. Mostly middle to upper class white folks who drive SUV's. we all hang out together, seldom coming in contact with people "other than" us. folks on the outer banks of life. you know the ones, the ones we would not want in our life boat if the ship was going down.

in all the conferences I have attended, called moves of God, there have been few people of color. We were all the same. white bread folks, praising a dark skinned Jesus who looks more like people we persecute than us.

but the wild man still roams the countryside spreading his message of repentance and offering more than status quo. He does not know the church language, but has a message from God Himself..."Repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand." a message so powerful, yet so simple, it peirces the heart and calls for action of some kind.

and from time to time, there rises out of the slumber that has fallen on the American church one who hears and senses something more...Hears the howling of the wind that is the Spirit, feels the smallest taste of freedom to break free from the mundaness that has calmed down the beast within.

I know of 2 men who are like this.

Burger King Faith, or faith my way, is easy enough. Basically it is sin management, or closet faith. It requires nothing more than a polite love for others, the traffic wave, and a hello, or even merry Christmas from time to time...It certainly requires no repentance or transformation of life that would lead to change at the very core of our being.

because there is no call to die, and a call to be consumed by this God who is a "consuming fire", our Faith, or reflection of what was once a underground movement that people were dyeing to be part of, is now tamed like a trained and well kept poodle, so what we have are political believers who desire change be made through legislation rather than Gospel powered changed lives.

I heard the howl of the wind again this morning, I read Colossians.
Col 1:24-27
24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I do my share on behalf of His body (which is the church) in filling up that which is lacking in Christ's afflictions. 25 Of this church I was made a minister according to the stewardship from God bestowed on me for your benefit, that I might fully carry out the preaching of the word of God, 26 that is, the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations; but has now been manifested to His saints, 27 to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.28 And we proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, that we may present every man complete in Christ. 29 And for this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me.

It has been to long since I have heard the call of the wild. 2 years to be exact. I had thought that he had decided to keep me on the bench. BUT, "He who began a good work in me will complete it..."

it aint over. not by a long shot. Matter of fact...If you listen closely, you can hear the rustle of leaves as He moves across the Forrest that is our soul. If you concentrate, He may ask you to do something that may have others questioning your sanity. But one thing you will hear is the whisper to die...die to your self and live to Him. Not part, but all

Jesus did not come to give you a good life, He came to kill you so he could live through you.

"He is not safe...But He is good."