“Is God at my church?” That was my first thought as I pulled into the parking lot a few days ago and saw a limousine in front of the building. My second thought was, “If God is in the limo, then who’s driving? Maybe, Jesus? Or, Moses?”
Curiosity got the best of me. The doors were unlocked, so I decided to peek in. It was plush! Comfortable seats, widescreen TV, fancy lights, mini-bar, and much more. I thought to myself, “This is a sweet ride!”. One problem though, it was empty; no driver; no passenger.
It’s ironic: A lot of our churches today are like the limo. They have comfy seats, big screens, cool lights, and refreshment bars, yet the driver is missing. And for all practical purposes the passengers have abandoned the ride, too. Why is that?
“Is God at my church?” It’s a profound question that leads to an even deeper one, “Is God with me?”. According to Scripture, God is everywhere. “Where can I go from Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence? If I go up to the Heavens You are there. If I make my bed in the depths You are there.” -Psalm 139:7-8. If God is present, then shouldn’t it be evident by His movement in His church? Shouldn’t He be evident in our lives? Why are so many churches in decline? Better yet, why are so many people’s lives such a wreck? Is it possible that God has abandoned us? I think not.
If we truly believe that God is everywhere, then it’s impossible for Him to leave. But maybe, instead of Him leaving us, we are leaving Him. For instance: two people can be married, live in the same house, and still be void of any type of relationship because one or both are disengaged. To quote an old cliché, “Like two ships passing in the night.” Both are present, but don’t acknowledge each other. Therefore, it’s as if the relationship is non-existent.
Just like in our earthly relationships, the loss of connection usually begins with one small act of selfishness. We begin to ignore the desires of the other person, in this case God. Whether this is done individually, or as a church, the result is the same: we replace God’s desires with our own desires. Over time, a wall goes up and then we blame God for checking out on us, all the while wondering why He’s not blessing our lives. The reality is, God doesn’t check out on us, we check out on Him. We build the wall, one brick at a time.
I really like that song by George Strait, “I Saw God Today.”
I’ve been to church, I’ve read the book, I know He’s there,
But I don’t look near as often as I should,
His fingerprints are everywhere, I just look down and stop and stare,
Open my eyes and then I swear, I Saw God Today
The truth is, God does not leave us, we leave him. “For the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” -Deuteronomy 31:6 But, like the song says, we can go to church, read the book, know He’s there, but not look, and we miss Him completely. Just like in a dysfunctional marriage, we can live with Him but never know Him in an intimate way.
Are you like the limo: empty with no driver? Have you been asking the question, “Is God still with me?” Let me assure you, He is! He promises that He’ll never leave you. Maybe, all you need to do is acknowledge His presence. Proverbs 3:6, “In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths.” And speaking from personal experience, not only will He direct your paths, but He’ll take you on the sweetest ride of your life!
Great insight, Danny.
Thats great. It is so true and such a great reminder to those who might stray from the path. I always understand the bible through comparisions of everyday things.
Great 🙂
Good one Danny.
When I read the teaser on your blog, the last line is “If God’s in the limo, then…” My immediate thought while I was waiting after I clicked on read more was, “I want to get in and ride for all it’s worth!” But the problem is that it’s not always a limo ride. Usually it’s not a limo ride. Sometimes we have to walk, or crawl. Sometimes when we are crawling we even get kicked. (Like the guy in the ditch a Samaritan helped). The trick is wherever you are or wherever you go, always remembering who is with you and how you can connect with God in those everyday encounters. Whether it’s with your family and friends or complete strangers. Whether you’re riding in a limo or crawling.
It’s funny how God speaks to us sometimes. I was just reading this morning, that we should “Take heed to your spirit, that you do not deal treacherously.” (Malachi 2:16) You speak about letting that spirit of selfishness into any relationship and how it starts with one small thing and before you know it you are like “Two ships that pass…” Psalm 123:3 says “Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us! For we are exceedingly filled with contempt.” Oswald Chambers said “God never gives us discernment so that we may criticize, but that we may intercede.
Having a church where God is driving starts with people inhabiting His church who have God as their driver. It starts with the individual and their choices. Just think of the places we could go with a church full of people who have God as their driver! Woo-hoo! Let’s ride.
Danny – The scripture verses in this blog are so encouraging! I’m so thankful God never leaves us nor forsakes us. That is a HUGE comfort and a good word to share with others who might be discouraged. Thanks for reminding us that it’s our responsiblity to stay TIGHT with God – He never moves!
hey,
Great one my boy! You had me right from the beginning when you jumped in with both feet.
I love it~mum
You are a very eloquent writer, and you know how to put things in perspective. I liked this a lot. It reall makes you think. Fun church building 🙂
Good word……’specially from a guy ed-u-cated in Louisiana.
If God isn’t in the limo, and Jesus ain’t drivin’, then its just another dark, stuffy, cramped, uncomfortable place. We need to be where He is…..limo, station wagon, minivan or on foot!
Danny,
I am late on this thank you for this great truth. Hey, The Pole saw God and he spoke to me at last weeks service. It was such a shock and a blessing all at one time!!!
danny! good blog, man.