Yesterday as I got to my job, I was approaching the entry way when the Spiritual Life director stopped me, and asked me about the Chicago Bears and how they were playing. So we talked about that but all the while I was wondering if this was some kind of Divine Intervention. As I had already posted, this was a direct confrontation and response to my questions about whether I was having "visions of was it some part of my imagination" concerning the kids I work with, and the Chapel service we have every Wednesday evening for the (almost) entire campus.
So, to make a long story short, I told the Director about my vision and he basically invited me to, (when I felt ready) share at Chapel, via my singing/guitar playing with or without him. I also told him about my open forum ideas for the kids during this Chapel service, (there is more to this). That was kind of interesting also, due to the fact that this week as in most all weeks, the kids share poems, participate in part of the singing time, etc, etc, and I felt that this was an answer (in the negative) about my dreams/visions, that this was in fact something already going on, so I felt relieved, as I thought this was an answer to that prayer. But, then Bob stopped me at work, and now it seems that that door is opened?
Friday, 18 September 2009
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Visions or Imagination or What? Questions I Need Answers To.
I have worked with kids for a number of years. Anything from after school mentoring/tutoring to Behavior management and teaching coping skills to work (currently) in a Residential Treatment center with boys ranging in age from 13-18. I keep getting these inner visions as I list below, but I want to know if these come from God or my own imagination.
Why do I keep getting these visions (?) of working with these kids at my job and like just now as I open up the Word, a vision, pulling a group together to travel to several places to point out slums, or life without light, and also places of historic interest in the south, (plantations, Washington D.C., New York, and Philadelphia).
Are these visions just my imagination or are these things from God?
Is this like with the prophets of old, when as it states in some of the passages, “the word of the Lord came to…” And then, as written in 1 Samuel 3:21; “ The Lord continued to appear at Shiloh, and there he revealed himself to Samuel through his word.”Is this “word” the OT scriptures or, was this “the living word” of God, Jesus, as in a vision or visitation to Samuel and Abraham for instance?
Matthew 7: 7; “ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
So, as I am reading the above part of Matthew 7, I have this inner vision of being at my job working with kids at a Chapel service and singing/playing my guitar(s) in my own style and asking kids to have fun, to do what is their passion to do, with their lives, singing, poetry, basketball, whatever it is! Then I get out of that mindset/vision and return to look at this verse(s). So, I have to follow this direction and ask you O God; IS THIS VISION I HAVE HAD AND CONTINUE TO SEE, WHAT YOU DESIRE FOR ME? THE QUESTION I HAVE IS, “SHOULD I” walk out into this seeing if any door opens for me?
In Viola's book Eternity To Here, he states that God looks at the church that is without flaw or defect, forgiven, and spotless. It's hard for me to see that in the church as a whole. I think that how Christ see's His Bride is a somewhat future time, but not necessarily now. At some point the church will become that sparkling, spotless Bride, but, for now I can't see that.
On the other hand there is a whole lot that is going on in the world and especially when one considers that the church in the USA is the largest to homeless and destitute all over the world. So, to some extent there is a lot going on that does not meet the eye (my eye), but is seen by God. Those are just a couple of examples of what I see in the world around me but I want to be part of what the church should be. That's my part and I also want to be part of the family of God that really does express who God really is in the world around us.
I have been reading this book by Frank Viola, From Eternity To Here-Rediscovering The Ageless Purpose Of God and I am having to realize that the "church," as flawed and ugly as (I) see it, is redeemed, just as I am redeemed, by the blood of Christ. As I read this book and remember how Paul spoke of this "Bride" of Christ in such glowing and admirable terms, in my own mind right now it's very difficult to see this. When I see (such as yesterday on CNN when a church Pastor says that he is having a Sunday meeting(?), when his parishioners can wear their firearms to "church." The Q was asked him, Is this something Jesus would endorse or something similar and he mentioned something that Jesus did said to one of his disciples about obtaining a sword. Is this a pretty picture of the picture that Jesus would point to as part of his body he approves of? That's just one thing! There is so much more, yet!
I (and my wife) have disconnected from any involvement in a local assembly because I (we) don't believe in the structure/organization or rituals that take place in just about any and all of the normal church settings. So, I am looking to either join in or start a group which might better express what Paul describes in the NT, Ephesians 4: 11-13; Colossians, 1 Co. 12; and other relevant pieces of scripture that describe what the true church should be about. Not programs and rituals, but relationship & fellowship with Christ along with that parallel relationship with brothers and sisters in Christ.
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