More Than a Carpenter

I recently finished More Than a Carpenter by Josh McDowell. A youth minister gave me a copy of that book 15 years ago, and what parts of it I read haunted me in the section of my life when I wanted God to leave me alone. Still, all the best reasoning and evidence in the world is useless unless the Father who sent Jesus draws us (John 6:44). Reasoning void of the experiential is vanity. Some people report flipping the Bible open at random and being shown exactly what they need. What I find more beautiful is that I can set out reading the bible very systematically every day for years and sovereign God arranges for whatever section I am on to speak to me or coincide with what I need that day. In pursuing my religious studies minor, I was exposed occasionally to questions and arguments contrary to a Biblical perspective, and for which I wasn't smart enough to reason out the answers on my own. That year of college remains invaluable to me. I remember one sunny day at the fountain on campus praying to God about these conundrums, then opening the Word to the pre-determined segment of scripture I was to read, in John 6. Jesus asks the 12 disciples after some hard teaching, "You don't want to leave me too, do you?" John 6:68 reports, "Simon Peter answered him, 'Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.'" I was smiling and crying, because his answer became my answer, and remains so, in a divinely profound way. McDowell writes, "Christianity is not a religion; it's not a system; it's not an ethical idea; it's not a psychological phenomenon. It's a person. If you trust Christ, start watching your attitudes and actions because Jesus Christ is in the business of changing lives." (p 119). While skeptics continue to look at church buildings and insist that Christianity divides people, those of us following and loving and being loved by the living Jesus Christ are meeting brothers and sisters in His kingdom wherever we go. Brian and Tara Riley exemplify this in their mission experience. They told of Jesus' people from every denomination seeking Him in unity. The Holy Spirit is not at all confined by our church building walls, and His movement perhaps borders on heresy. The Riley's, beautiful fascinating people, are a part of it, and I want to be a part of it. God is cutting edge and I can't wait to see what He does next. Meeting these missionaries gave me a joy that reminded me, in the midst of some sadness that Jesus brings not peace but a sword between me and some who reject Him, to keep my eyes on His kingdom, lest I miss the beauty and blessing of this new and ever-growing family He has adopted me into.