Here is an example (because if you know me you know I love ranting about MTV). First of all I think MTV is run by the devil himself. Now, I do not know the actual human that runs this network, however, it only takes a Christian one show of watching really to understand why I believe this. Take the show Jersey Shore for example. It's apparently one of the most popular shows on television right now. I have never watched a full episode, but have seen clips, commercials, and a piece here or there and I am telling you what-that show disgusts me almost more than anything else on this planet. Watching it literally makes my heart ache with how God must feel while watching the lives of these young people. Somehow though, everyone and their brother, is obsessed with watching this train wreck. Even 'Christians' I know talk about how they enjoy this show. IT IS TRASH. And it is polluting your heart with TRASH as well.
My point in that rant however is not to point fingers at MTV for our screwed up culture. But to implement how we as radical Christ followers, are told to not be subject to our culture.
Mark 5 tells the story of a woman who had a bleeding disorder for 12 years. Can you imagine being sick with no healing in sight, for TWELVE years? In HER culture, those who were sick like that were not allowed to live inside the city gates for she was deemed 'unclean'. But this woman heard Jesus was coming and she knew that He could heal her. But what did it require of her? It required her pushing past her culture. On a physical level she had to come into the city and push through the crowds of people to receive healing from the Lord. But on spiritual level she was going against what her culture said in that time and following the faith that she knew the Lord could heal her. She was DESPERATE for His healing and would do whatever it took. She had so much faith in fact that she merely had to touch the hem of his robe before her body was healed.
Jesus asked "who touched me?" and his disciples were like Yo JC you're in a crowd of people, there are A LOT of people touching you. But he tells them that somebody touched Him who had such strong faith He could literally feel the power of God move in His body.
This sick woman healed by Jesus was not defined by her culture. And when it looked like there was no end in sight to her sickness and pain and alienation she PRESSED IN to the goodness of the Lord.
I blogged last about feeling out of focus and having a rough time, spiritually wondering why I couldn't feel God near and what was missing from my life. This story really encouraged me to really PRESS IN. I know He is there, His goodness and faithfulness and healing power-and I am desperate for Him. I will not be defined by my culture....even my culture of other 'Christians' around me. I can not live off of ABC gum (you know the gum, already been chewed?) haha In our culture we are so quick to live our faith off of words from other people-it's almost like getting sloppy seconds. When John 10:27 says "My sheep listen to my voice, I know them and they me, and they follow me."
How can we choose the voice of God over the voice of our culture if we don't know what we are listening for? "To know a voice we have to listen to it more than once"--Kari Jobe
We can't be too lazy or scared or impatient to go deep with God on our own. We live in a culture of people who watch and re-enact Jersey Shore. But we also live in a culture of Christians who are satisfied with their only time of worship being on Sunday mornings. Who are ok with their only time of being refueled is at church or a retreat of some kind. We serve a God whose power and majesty dwell within us and it is a DANGEROUS place to live if Sunday morning church is our only place of revelation from Him.
Press in. Go deep. Listen for Him. I know it sounds like mumbo jumbo Christian lingo but it's not. It's God's Truth. He gives us His firsts, doesn't He deserve ours?
In Him,
Meg
