obsessed | WayOutWise

I’m back to Chapter 8 of Crazy Love, the chapter about what it might look like to be obsessed with loving God. It’s my favorite chapter. It’s a challenging chapter for me. It’s an encouraging and motivating chapter for me. I can’t wait to start studying it in our Bible study at work on Wednesday.

I wonder how God feels when I’m more upset by a call the umpire makes than I am by the people living under a bridge with little to eat.

I wonder how God feels when I buy enough clothes to wear for 3 weeks without wearing the same thing twice never thinking about the person wearing the same thing day in and day out.

I wonder how God feels when I dream of building a big, comfortable house while people are living in the woods on good weather nights and under a semi-trailer on bad weather nights.

I know all the arguments. Those people don’t want to find a job. Those people are willing to take whatever they can get for free. Those people drink too much, do drugs too much, have put themselves in that position.

I can make the argument but I wonder why Jesus doesn’t make that argument when he tells me to take care of the poor, the hungry, the naked…the least of these. Jesus doesn’t tell me to make judgments about their intentions, to qualify them or to be more worried about catching someone cheating than just trusting in his goodness and guidance.

I want to live more obsessed with what God is calling me to do in his kingdom.

Grace and peace to you.

I’m teaching class tonight as we continue working through Crazy Love. I think I was asked to teach the chapter on being obsessed with Jesus because it’s one that I need to work on so much. I don’t know that I’m obsessed with anything but when I think about what I might be obsessed by “Mercedes” pops into my head. I’ve always wanted one and now the Mercedes G500 is on my list of things I really, really want. I have no need for it. I don’t have the money it takes to acquire one. I just want one.

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Frances Chan, in the study video for Crazy Love, talks about how it makes sense to him that the early Christians were obsessed with Jesus. They had been around him and listened to him, then they saw him die followed by seeing the empty tomb and the resurrected Christ among them. They were living in the middle of it so the fact that they gathered together, sold their possessions and took care of each others needs doesn’t seem far-fetched. He goes on (and this is the part I like) and says it would be much harder for him to believe they were obsessed with the Christ if they had said, “hey, let’s have services once a week and sing some songs and listen to a sermon and then go our own way the rest of the week.” Cracks me up…and it doesn’t change his comment for me very much if you throw in Sunday night and Wednesday night.

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I’ve been satisfied for far too long with making an appearance at the church building and going on my way saying I was a follower of Christ. I want to be more obsessed with the things Jesus was obsessed with. Sure, he spent time teaching but his time was much more about helping others with their spiritual AND physical needs. The church I’ve attended all my life touts our “pattern theology” and, maybe it’s just me, but I don’t feel I have been a part of the group that follows the pattern of the church in Acts 2:42. I’m more accustomed to thinking about what I have, not what I am giving away to someone who needs it. I’m more accustomed to worrying about tax rates and savings accounts and the size of my 401k than being willing to give all I have and trust God will provide all I need. I want to look more like that church in 2:42. I want people to identify me with that body.

I don’t want to be misunderstood (though I can imagine it easy when dealing with my crazy mind) so I want to be clear that what I’m talking about is a heart that is willing to give everything to God. Does that mean that could include physical possessions? Yes, definitely. Does that mean I earn any standing with God because I did something? NO! I don’t want anyone to think I’m saying I have to do some physical act to get in God’s good graces. I lived that theology for far too long. I’m talking about a heart and mind that is obsessed for God and, I believe, if I have that the physical acts will follow from a desire to be a servant to others.