In his book, Rekindled Flame, Steve Fry tells of moving to Nashville and talking to some Christian recording executives about a potential project. When asked what he was working on, he told them about wanting to write a worship musical that focused on the character of God. To his surprise, they were very cool to the idea.
Frankly, they said, most believers wouldn’t buy an album about God.
Seriously?
Yep.
According to their demographic studies, that kind of project wouldn’t appeal to most Christians.
Later he met with a book editor that he knew had his finger on the pulse of the Christian marketplace.
“I want to write about God!” he said. “I want to take snapshots of the many wonders of His character and just focus on Him.”
“I’d like to help you write that kind of a book,” he replied. “In fact, the Christian market desperately needs that kind of book. But honestly, the average Christian is not going to buy a book about God.” The editor added: “The only way you can get the average believer to read a book about God is to somehow show them how God benefits them.”
I want to say I’m surprised, but I’m not.
I want to say I’m offended, but I’m not.
I want to say I’m the exception…
Fry again: “Have we become so obsessed with ourselves,” I asked myself, “that we subconsciously perceive God as existing for us—and not us for Him?”
Some people see the Song of Solomon as an allegory of the relationship between Christ and His church. As a general rule, I don’t. But there is this one haunting verse…
My beloved is like a gazelle or a young stag.
Behold, he is standing behind our wall,
He is looking through the windows,
He is peering through the lattice (Song of Solomon 2:9).
Here is a picture of a lonely or estranged lover, peering through the lattice trying to catch a glimpse of the one He loves. Hoping, perhaps to make contact. Longing to woo her out of the busyness of her life – calling her to rise up and come away with Him.
Is it possible… Has it been so long… that this is how the heart of God searches for you?
Too Old-Testament-allegory for you? Try this:
Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me (Revelation 3:20).
Here’s the risen Christ, knocking on the door of His own church, just wanting to have fellowship with a gaggle of believers who are so self-sufficient in their own lukewarm comfort zone that they make Him want to puke. And yet He still wants in. That’s the greatest miracle of all. He still delights in my company, and yours. He’s not hugging the toilet – He’s knocking on the door in love.
The minute you use your relationship with God as a means to an end, you’ve made an idol out of the end. If He is nothing more than a way for you to find peace, then you’re worshipping peace, not God. If He’s just the means for guidance, then you’re idolizing guidance, not Him. If He’s just the source of your sermons or your songs, your sanity or your soul mate, your provision or your pleasure, you have some knee-walking to do, and so do I.
In the first sentence in the Purpose Driven Life, Rick Warren famously says: “It’s not about you.”
It still isn’t.
But only you can open the door of your heart to Him.
Only you can hear His unique call to come away with Him, for no other purpose than to be His and to cherish His company.
Only you can respect His image in you enough to heed His unique, passionate call given in language that only you can understand.
How long has it been?
How much longer will it be… until you embrace with joy the truth that God is what’s in it for you?