A Ride on the Perspectives Train

Josh and I snoozed too long yesterday and had to hustle it to church. So glad we did. 

One reason I'm glad we made it was because I would have missed the army that gradually appeared during the sermon.

The General talking to his men.

Also glad we made it because John Ortberg was closing out a series on pain and suffering. To do that he flew in Dallas Willard to interview him. Dallas is a brilliant mind and a follower of Christ. You may know his books. I think the most well known being "The Divine Conspiracy","The Great Omission", and "The Spirit of the Disciplines". He is, in my opinion, one of the great minds of Christianity today. John is an exceptional moderator/interviewer. He is witty yet poignant, rolls through transitions like you wouldn't even notice, and knows when to push and when to let go. He makes Dallas understandable to us common folk. Sometimes I see hints of my friend Kevin in John.

(Sorry for the bad quality pictures. I was trying to take photos on the sly. Probably not so sly tho. :p) 

To close out the morning John asked Dallas if there was one thing he wanted to say that he hadn't. One thing he wanted to leave us with. His response resonated in my heart.

"Make sure you pay attention to Jesus...that will lead you into a deeper hunger of God. If you leave him out, life will never appear whole before you. What the heart hungers for, what people deeply wish to become as a person is all bound up in him and thinking of him."

That stayed with me. "Make sure you pay attention to Jesus." I haven't left him out but I haven't really been focusing on him either. It's like when you're in lecture and you're texting and on facebook at the same time. You hear pieces of what the professor is saying but you're not getting all of it. This explains me. God is always there but maybe being a wife has claimed more of my attention that Jesus has. 

John asked Dallas what was the most important question we can ask. Dallas answered, "The most important question you can ask yourself is, "who are you becoming?"" I really thought about who I have been becoming. Maybe a bit of a better cook, a diligent house keeper, clothes washer, a better wife, a bargain hunter... But Dallas meant it in the deeper, philosophical way. Is who I am becoming, based on my everyday, draw me closer to the image of Christ? It struck me that all those things that I strive for aren't important to Jesus. I don't get another jewel in my crown for perfecting that cheesecake. I get another jewel for learning how to serve others, how to love those around me, for being less selfish and more giving. 

I am so glad we made it to church. I feel like I've been straightened out again after a ride on the perspectives train. This week as we begin the holiday season I hope that, like me, you too will be encouraged to "pay attention to Jesus" and remember to continually ask yourself, "who am I becoming?".