Just stay close!

How hard can it be?  Do we really have to learn to abide?  When I stop and think about it, I believe we do.  I remember when we went to the Columbus Zoo this summer with a group of friends.  We were with a family and their 8 year old boy with lots of excitement and energy.  He was so excited that he became distracted by the attractions and was not able to stay close.  He became lost.   After lots of searching and contacting security, we were able to find him.  Fortunately, he was ok.

Christ, being the vine, encourgaes us (the branches) to remain in Him or stay close.  This has to be learned because we get distracted.  We have lots of excitement and energy and sometimes get so anxious that we stray.  Sometimes we think, "if I don't do something, nothing will happen."  Andy Stanley refers to this belief as the "if I don't, it won't" way of thinking. 

Transformation: Is it conscious or unconscious?

I find myself asking this question about how we maintain balance walking.  Is walking a conscious or unconscious activity?  Is walking a reflexive event or is it controlled by our minds.  We have to make the decision to walk, but once we get moving, do we consciously tell each muscle when to contract and relax to help us adjust to the changes in our environment and remain upright?  I find that people with balance problems usually have a control problem.  They are trying to take conscious control over a mostly unconscious (reflexive) event.  Often times, they try to take too much control over their balance because they don't trust their balance system.  They end up moving similar to a person who is walking on ice.  Our balance is much better when it is left at the unconscious reflexive level.

Is spiritual transformation conscious or unconscious?  Can we consciously will ourselves to be transformed?  If Christ's character is not manufactured by us, but produced through us then it is more unconscious.  Consciously, we have to learn to abide or stay close.  When walking, we have to make a choice to get up and move and we also have a certain amount of conscious control over the health of our bodies, but then once we are up, most of walking is unconscious.  Spiritually, we make a choice to follow Christ and to do things that help us stay close to him.  Then, if we hold to the vine, then the vine will produce fruit through us.  Perhaps being transformed spiritually is similar to staying upright.  The more conscious control we try to take over the phenomenon, the more unnatural and messed up it will be.

Like Christ

So if we can't be like Michael Jordan, can we really be like Christ?  What about if I pray enough, read enough bible verses, serve enough and be good enough, can I be like Christ?  I don't think so.  I mean, I can do some of the things Christ did; like recite scripture, pray, serve and love others.  But, could I ever truly become like Christ?  There is something Christ has to offer that Michael Jordan can't.   

Andy Stanley states, "you cannot manufacture the character of Christ because the character of Jesus Christ must come from Jesus Christ"  The focus needs to shift from us trying to become like Christ to abiding in Christ.  If He is the vine and we are the branches, then the branch needs to hold on and stay close.  No one ever heard of the branch trying to become the vine.  However, the vine nourishes the branch and the branch can produce fruit.

Like Mike

Remember the Gatorade commercial that talked about flying, moving and groving just like Michael Jordan?  I remember watching that on "Channel One" in home room my freshman year in High School.  It always got me pumped up.  I loved it when that commercial came on.  I waited for it every morning.  I felt a shot of adrenaline after watching that commercial (and I was a wrestler not a basketball player).  I think the idea was that if we drank Gatorade, we might somehow become like Mike.  Well, no matter how hard we worked, or how many bottles of Gatorade we drank, we were not going to be like Mike. We could do some things Michael Jordan did, like; shoot a basketball, run up and down a basketball court, make jump shots, wear Air Jordan shoes and...drink Gatorade.  But, we would never do these things just like Mike. Michael Jordan was blessed with genetic gifts that allowed him to do the amazing things he did.

At "The Exchanged Life" series in 2009 at First Christian Church, I heard Dr. John Geib provide the above illustration and ask the following question: what if, though, Michael Jordan could have somehow came and lived inside of us?  What if he could have taken over our bodies?  How would that have changed our ability to play basketball?

Being set free through transformation

So how do we do it?  How do we break away?  How are we transformed?  We stay close.  We abide.  We remain.  What?  That's it?!  Andy Stanley states, "The character of Christ is not manufactured by us it is produced through us and must be produced by Christ."  John 15:5 states, "I am the vine and you are the branches.  If a man remains (abides) in me and I in him he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." Being transformed is not about us getting better or us being like Christ, it is about us getting close to Christ.  It is about association, not imitation.  It is about being with Christ.  It's about keeping it relational and not religious.

Break Away!

Removing the generational curses is about breaking away from those habits and tendencies (patterns) that keep us from reaching our God given potential.    When I think of a person who is transformed, I think of a person who is able to "bring it" every day consistently.  I think of a person with strong character.

The thought of removing generational curses

motivates me to make progress and add to what my parents gave me.  I recently heard my mother-in-law state, "Isn't that what its all about...making it better for our kids..."   A major theme of my Father's life was giving my sister and I opportunities he never had.    In Romans 12:2, it states, "Do not conform any longer to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is, His good, pleasing and perfect will."  I agree with Andy Stanley when he suggested that unhealthy habits passed down from generation to generation are an example of the patterns of this world.   Recently, I have been asking myself, "how can I make it better for our children?"