“The
American church is a hard place to fit in if you want to live out New Testament
Christianity”
Further
in Chan’s book, “Crazy Love,” he offers the profile of the opposite lifestyle
of that of a lukewarm person. Here he
talks about obsession and how the life of an obsessed person looks like. (Side note: just in this trip, I have learned
that since we are everything that is opposite God, than our thoughts and
definitions are also opposite of God’s. For example: “jealousy” has a negative connotation and is often
interpreted as a bad thing, however, God is a jealous God, and everything about
God is good. “Selfishness” is another
example, we tend to think badly about a person who is selfish, but God is a
selfish God who wants ALL of us and our attention.) So when I began to read this chapter on
obsession, I immediately thought about that little tid-bit I had learned. Normally we think of obsession as a bad
thing, unhealthy and unwanted; but when it comes to God, he wants us to be completely
and utterly obsessed with him and no one or nothing else.
Obsessed:
to have the mind excessively preoccupied with a single emotion or topic!
As
I did in the last blog, I am also going to just type up the main points that
Chan made in this chapter (I just couldn’t do it justice!) The bold words are categories of people and
then the short definition that follows is the example of what a person’s life,
who is obsessed with Jesus, should look like.
“Lovers” ~ People who are obsessed with Jesus give freely and
openly without censure. Obsessed people love those who hate them
and who can never love them back.
“Risk Takers” ~ People who are obsessed with Jesus aren’t consumed with
their personal safety and comfort above all else. Obsessed
people care more about God’s kingdom coming to this earth than their own lives
being shielded from pain or distress.
“Friends of All” ~ People who are obsessed with Jesus live lives that
connect them with the poor in some way or another. Obsessed
people believe that Jesus talked about money and the poor so often because it
was really important to him.
“Crazy Ones” ~ Obsessed people are more concerned with obeying God than doing what
is expected or fulfilling the status quo. A person who is obsessed with
Jesus will do things that don’t always make sense in terms of success or wealth
on this earth.
“The Humble” ~ A person who is obsessed with Jesus knows that the sin
of pride is always a battle. Obsessed people know that you can never
be “humble enough,” and so they seek to make themselves less known and Christ
more known.
“Servers” ~ People who are obsessed with Jesus do not consider
service a burden. Obsessed people take joy in loving God by loving His people.
“Givers” ~ People who are obsessed with God are known as givers,
not takers. Obsessed people genuinely think that others matter as much as they
so, and they are particularly aware of those who are poor around the world.
“Sojourners” ~ A person who is obsessed thinks about heaven
frequently. Obsessed people orient their lives around eternity; they are not
fixed only on what is here in front of them.
“The Engrossed” ~ A person who is obsessed is characterized by committed,
settled, passionate love for God, above and before every other thing and every
other being.
“Unguarded Ones” ~ People who are obsessed are raw with God; they do not
attempt to mask the ugliness of their sins or their failures. Obsessed
people don’t put it on for God; He is their safe place, where they can be at
peace.
“The Rooted” ~ People who are obsessed with God have an intimate
relationship with Him. They are
nourished by God’s Word throughout the day because they know that forty minutes
on Sunday is not enough to sustain them for a whole week, especially when they
will encounter so many distractions and alternative messages.
“The Dedicated” ~ A person who is obsessed with Jesus is more concerned
with his or her character than comfort. Obsessed people know that true joy
doesn’t depend on circumstances or environment; it is a gift that ultimately
comes from God.
“Sacrificers” ~ A person who is obsessed with Jesus knows that the best
thing he can do is be faithful to his Savior in every aspect of his life,
continually saying “Than You!” to God. An obsessed person knows there
can never be intimacy if he is always trying to pay God back or work hard
enough to be worthy. He revels in his
role as child and friend of God.
Are
you obsessed with Jesus Christ?
Are
you obsessed with the one who laid down his life, so that you, a sinner, could
be an heir to His throne?
If
you think you are, does your lifestyle reflect that you are obsessed with
Christ?
