Five Minute Friday - Fight

It’s been almost a full month since I wrote the last Five Minute Friday; since my phone took off pinging with the sound of friends connecting online across time zones; of my family graciously conceding time for me to drift away to my desk and delve into the five minutes that is so much more than five minutes (as in, I do try to stick to the five minutes of actual prompt writing, but the rest? Posting? Pictures – if I do that? Trying not to be a complete control freak and not edit my mess? That doesn’t happen in five minutes. You didn’t think it did, did you?)

The laptop is actually cold beneath my fingertips. It’s been on its own journey –across and ocean and back. Its hum sounds excited. Anticipatory. I feel it thrumming with me as thoughts run through my brain – scattered by my brief time on the Twitter party (Costco). I just got my first post up today. I haven’t been writing for a month. I honestly have no idea what I’m about to say.

Breathe.

This week: Fight

Go

Towards the end of the year, I allowed myself to rabbit hole. Or is it rabbit trail? Rabbit … something. That thing you do where you find a small path that looks like it might go somewhere and start to follow it off into the brush. I did that. With more than a handful of things. Ideas mainly. Posts. Declarations. Ideas. Intentions. Opinions.

Everybody’s got one.

So many shoulds, supposed tos, this is the way it’s supposed to be – all, for the most part, surrounding the idea of the Christian life; God; and belief in Christ. All, for the most part, presented by learned scholars; committed theologians; believers who’d done their research; well-read, scholarly individuals.

It was fascinating stuff. I was intrigued. The ideas presented were often logical – they followed thesis to their conclusions (with footnotes) and were, for the most part, staked in the foundation of the Word.

And yet …

As I read and listened and observed the conversations and comments I saw so much contention. So much need to be right. So much need to be heard. So much need to be vindicated. And it hurt. Maybe I just haven’t been paying as close attention because of the immediacy of things like desert living, but when did the life of the Body of Christ turn into Thunderdome? Two men enter, one man leaves.  Really?

I know God is a God of Justice and holds us to a set of commandments and expectations, but those are His. Directed to us as individuals. Who are accountable to Him.  And His other directives? The ones we’re supposed to be following? I see more of His mercy and love flowing out of those – admonitions to love Him with all our heart, love our neighbor, care for those around us who are the least among us, doing justice, loving mercy, walking humbly, telling His story and sharing the gift of His love and sacrifice with those who have not heard.

I’m probably making a mess of this here, but all I’m really trying to say, is that as part of my One Word commitment to Return this year, I am returning my eyes (heart, attention, focus) fully to God and His word. I’m pretty sure that’s the right place to start if I want to really hear what I should be doing in my life, what I’m supposed to be accomplishing, and the way it’s supposed to be if I’m walking in His footsteps.

God is just too big – too incredible, awesome, and amazing – to be brought low by any disbelief or disgrace that the world tries to throw at Him. They’ve been doing it for a long time now and it hasn’t stuck. I don’t think we need to give them any more ammunition for a fight.

I want to focus on what He’s called me to do. What His desire for my heart and my life is. I will return to the foot of the throne of grace where I will wait, listen, and learn. This is where I’m taking my direction. This is where I begin again.

Stop







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