Steven Ambrose ~ 101st Airborne Division from the book "Band Of Brothers"
June 6th, 1944 is a day almost every American holds in their memories. This was the day which began the downfall of Adolf Hitler's European domination. Finally, after five years of Nazi occupation, fortress Europe would be liberated. For those who know history, the allies were successful in their attempt to push back Hitler's armies. However, on the morning of June 6th, the prospects of allied victory rested more in prayers than in outright certainty. We had the confidence we needed, but we also knew and understood our enemy. One of the first obstacles faced by the allied forces as they pushed into the northern French countryside was that of the thick hedgerows which dominated the fields. American armored divisions, crucial to the breakout from Normandy, often found it difficult to punch through them. In some cases, these divisions wasted valuable time in their attempts to circumvent the hedgerows. To the people of the French countryside, the hedgerows were a way of life. To the men fighting through them, they were an obstacle. You might ask yourself, like I had on reading the stories of that day, why were these hedgerows even there? What was their purpose? Well, as it turns out, the purpose of the hedgerows is the same purpose as that fence around your yard. The hedgerows of Normandy date back to Roman times, when they were used to fence in pastures and mark property lines. Needless to say, they were never meant to serve as tank barriers, but that's what they became. Wayne Jacobsen recently made the observation that church is more like a meadow of wild flowers than a hedgerow. I would agree. What do you think of when you think of church? For me, church is a gathering of the faith. For me, church is not the big building, the loud praise and worship band nor the sermon on Christian theology. All of these are but hedgerows separating us from the meadow of truly enjoying God in His presence.
Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christs sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
2 Corinthians 12: 8 - 10 NKJV
One of the reasons which I left the church was because of the fact that I kept getting lost in the hedgerows of institutional worship. In fact, I can recall very few times where I felt like I was enjoying that meadow of Gods presence. When I did, it was outside of the hedgerows of the church. So, why do I refer to the church as having hedgerows? Because, like the French countryside, the church has boundaries which all too often inhibit us from enjoying Gods presence. When I speak of His presence, I speak of the revelation the apostle Paul shares with us in Galatians. It is Paul who speaks to the belief of Christ in us {Galatians 2:20}. That is, we can enjoy a life in His presence if we believe that He is in us. For once we are assured of Christ Jesus in us, we are assured of a life in Him. This is living in the meadow of enjoyment, without hedgerows and boundaries. When I think of it, why do we even need boundaries in Christian church? Rules, regulations and traditions? All are but hedgerows to our faith. Of course, I have come to realize a different view of church. My realization of church has nothing to do with rules and traditions, but everything to do with gathering in the Lords presence...to enjoy Him and not all which we have made it. Yes, I realize that this flies in the face of all the traditional church goers out there. I am not, nor will I ever, advocate for others to do what I do. As with my own realization, everyone must come to their own "Meet Jesus" moment. I simply believe that God never intended for the church of His believers to be chained to years of rules and traditions. I believe that God desires meadows and not hedgerows.
~Scott~
1 comment:
I think it's wise to note here that, as Paul tells us of his experience in 2 Corinthians, that not only is Jesus our all in all, but that in our own difficulties, His strength is made that much stronger. :)
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