Satisfied?...

I know it's been a while since my last post and I do apologize to both of you who read this for that. It has been crazy since our Disciple Now weekend, with just trying to catch up on rest and life not slowing down at all. But that's all good.

Since our D-Now (actually since about a month leading up to it) I have been listening to a lot of Lindsey Kane. She's the fantastic artist that led worship at our D-Now a couple weekends ago. The title track on her album is called "Satisfied" and here is the chorus:

I am satisfied
I will abide
I have decided to run away with You
Humbled on my knees
It's You I want to please
Captivate me Jesus, To keep my eyes on You
Steal my eyes from distraction
You are my lasting satisfaction

I have heard that song dozens of times the past few weeks and it really has began in me a pondering process about being satisfied. In the midst of this pondering I have come up with a couple thoughts:

First of all, too many time we (a big I included in that) look beyond our relationship with Christ for satisfaction. In my calling, working with students, I see it on a daily basis. There is the desire to be the best in sports, to be the prettiest, to be the smartest, to gain the approval of a parent or a girlfriend or boyfriend, the strive to be popular or included. All of these things speak to our satisfaction. As adults, it comes as us in the need to make more money, the need to be in a certain "class", the desire to drive certain cars or live in certain homes, the constant striving to keep up with the Jones' and buying into the lie of the American Dream, where we believe the more stuff we have, the more satisfied we will be. As I have pondered this, I realize that it just doesn't make sense. Look around us: Students are comitting suicide at a record rate. School violence is at an all time high. Divorces are a daily occurrence, with families being shattered all around us. I have come to this conclusion. We, as a people, are looking for satisfaction in places where it cannot be found. Real, true, lasting satisfaction cannot be attained apart from an authentic relationship with Jesus Christ. Our only true satisfaction, the one that lasts, comes from running away with him and abiding in him. But too many times He has to steal our eyes from distraction. We buy into the lie that the things of this world will satisfy us. But it IS a lie. You can be the prettiest for a while...but it doesn't last. You can be the fastest and strongest for a while...but it doesn't last. You can have the most money and the biggest house for a while...but it doesn't last. The only place where true satisfaction is found is in a real, authentic relationship with Jesus Christ.

The second thing that I have been pondering lately about satisfaction has to do with the church and viewing satisfaction in a far different way. As I look at churches across the U.S., am in and out of different churches, and talk with fellow ministers who are serving in various places, it seems to me that the church, for the most part, has become extremely satisfied. And this is not the same satisfied that I am refering to above. We have become satisfied with where we are, who we are reaching, and what we are doing. In short, we have become complacent and lazy. Mediocrity fills the church in America and for most believers, it is ok. Most of our churches are failing to reach their communities and grow with any consistency and, for most believers, it is ok. People are being turned off from church in record numbers and, for most believers, it is ok. But it is not ok. Where in the word of God do we find the commission or command to be complacent. Where in our walk with God are we called to mediocrity. I cannot believe that Christ died on the cross so that His people could go through life living in a mediocre and complacent fashion, satisified with "well, that's good enough", while the people around them struggle through life without meaning and destined to spend eternity apart from a loving God. This is not what the Father intends for us. We are not called to be satisfied with the status quo or the size of our church or the number of believers in our community. The phrases "well, I guess that's good enough" or "i guess we'll just have to be satified with that" should never be uttered in the church. We do not serve a God who limits us to being satisfied with the status quo. We serve a God who empowers us to live and serve and reach people in ways that are limitless, because he is limitless. I think that there are springing up in different places people who are tired of the status quo. There are those who are tired of being satisfied with doing things the way they've always been done. God is raising up people here and there who refuse to be satisfied when it comes to reaching people for His kingdom. And while I struggle with living in a church culture in our nation that is predominantly one that is satisfied, it gives me great hope to know that there are those who feel spurred along with me. We will find our lasting satisfaction in Him, but we will not be satisfied when it comes to expanding His kingdom and His love.

Have a great day and let Christ steal your eyes from distraction, to prove that He can be your lasting satisfaction!