Change, Labels, Worship

Mike has an interesting post on “Labels”. After reading it this morning I am pondering three words – change, labels, worship.

Last year when The Passion of the Christ came out, the movie became a topic of discussion with four of us over dinner. Yes there were plenty of discussions in various venues universally on this area. But this one discussion, at my favorite restaurant- Café Intime, with 3 good friends, was particularly intriguing. Each of us stated our view on the Bible and whether or not we thought it was the Word of God, and each of us stated whether or not we thought Jesus Christ is God’s son.

One of the participants in the discussion had a European home with strict religious beliefs and a lot of abuse. Not an unusual story to hear, nor is the resulting disillusion with “Christianity”. I know all too well what “religiosity” does to the soul, particularly the feminine soul. I was going to say that is another discussion for another time, but it actually fits with where this is going.

My friend B and I went to see Being Julia the other night and on the way home discussed the movie and our thoughts. Somehow Jesus came up in the discussion and at this moment I don’t remember how, or even what ensued on that topic. Last night this same friend and I went to dinner at one of our favorite restaurants – Café Intime. Both of us are single women and last night she needed a safe place to share a part of her story. The movie had triggered a lot of thoughts for both of us. (Have shared some in the previous post.)

Sharing fresh hummus, tabouli and foul moudammous (a dish of adzuki beans) and a big pot of dry desert lime tea (ginger, mint, chamomile, lime) we talked, laughed, shared, pondered, engaged in conversation with the owners of the Café. The Café owners are struggling to keep their delightful place alive because it is off the main highway and hence has less traffic flow. Change. It is all to do with change and how this slow and slightly isolated coast hates change. This lead to a discussion of geographical areas that either resist change or embrace it, nationalities that fall into either category and how we personally fit in. When the owner moved away to greet more guests my friend turned to me and shared how she thought Jesus was the best example of someone who handled change. He was gentle but powerful, a radical who knew the culture well. He was someone who understood change, was an advocate of change and she wished the Church hadn’t so misrepresented Jesus and who he really was. I couldn’t agree more and I told her that this was the Jesus I want to know, am getting to know.

This morning I think about the label of “doing church”. Out of that I look at three particular discussions I have had with this European friend, all on a Sunday, all about Jesus and each of them making my soul dance in worship.

The first one was a Sunday morning walk by the sea with my two friends L and B. We took a break and relaxed on a rock where we could listen to the sea, feel the spray and soak in the sun. The discussion evolved into why they do not find church a safe place – it is a place of judgment not acceptance. Sitting there in the midst of majestic creation, having honest and open discussion, I felt elated. That was worship for me.

The second conversation was the evening at Café Intime where L, A, B and I discussed The Passion of the Christ. A strong spirited discussion of culture, religion, church, and faith. For me it was a kind of worship because I felt a deeper longing to really know who Jesus was/is. It was a Sunday evening.

Last night was the third Sunday conversation that meandered into the subject of Jesus. Having spent most of the day outdoors climbing Soames Hill, sitting at the beach reading and listening to the surf, I was filled with awe, joy and incredible peace, and worship the Creator. Over our delicious food and dry desert lime tea, B tells me that Jesus was the best example of change she has ever heard of. I had spent they day inviting the Spirit to speak with me, listening and waiting. Here the Spirit was speaking to me, making my heart dance and inviting me deeper into relationship with Jesus and learning to change. That was worship.

Change, labels, worship; however we see these three areas matters in the sense that they will either keep us stuck or they will move us forward is my question. They will either inhibit our search for, and relationship with, Yeshua/Jesus or, will allow us to go deeper and find it richer. I am not sure that there is a prescribed way to define change, labels and worship. They are just words that I am pondering this morning and realizing that all of them were in my glorious day yesterday. A day where the Spirit continues to change me, remove the labels and deepen worship within.