
It’s my last Sunday in South Alabama and I got to check out Three Circle Church in Fairhope. And wow! What a welcoming place. They are organized and efficient. Even having special parking for first-time visitors. Why? I wondered. Then I understood perfectly as I was given a free tote bag with a coffee mug. A very nice coffee mug. Volunteers were everywhere making this church a well-oiled machine. A very friendly human machine united in love of Christ and fellow (wo)man.
So, what do free mugs and ant-farm efficiently got to do with it? Everything. Because this isn’t Amazon raking in a few more $billions. Or a political campaign meant to serve the will of one (and self-serving special interest groups. No, this is a labor of love. This is people at its finest. And coming from a guy who as a rule, trusts and loves just about everyone but mistrusts groups of people. And I really don’t enjoy big crowds much, which I define as more than like, 4 people!
Therefore, it goes against my (rebellious, mistrusting, introverted) grain to actually commit to a belief system. So I’ve been asking myself quite a bit lately, why now and why Christianity?
For one, as I’ve said before I found God through Christians. Also, because each Sunday, each sermon is tailored to my life.
It is beyond coincidence. For example, please read the post I wrote the other day about my life imploding to see what I mean.
Now this Sunday. New church, new message. And what was it?
“When there’s a mess, there’s progress”
Pastor Chris
He gave a wonderful analogy:
Imagine a houseguest you invite over for dinner. You leave him in the living room while you make dinner. A really nice dinner because this is an honored guest. And when you come out he’s knocking down walls with a jackhammer. All your favorite furniture, it’s sold. It’s already been picked up. That’s the Holy Spirit.
Wow, I like it. A method to madness. A bird’s eye view. Not just a light at the end of the tunnel, but a tunnel made lighted. Torches in sconces igniting at the snap of a finger. That’s hope. That’s faith in the chaos. That’s my choice to rise about my storms and embrace uncertainty. And trust me on this, I could not do it without daily devotions to a higher power, to my God.