Intimacy is Expected

Thursday is basketball day. Every week, several of us from the office gather at 4 pm to play some ball, get some exercise. So far, while it's been fun, it has also exposed several things to me. First, I am way out of shape. Two, that sweet shot I had in high school has faded quite a bit. And three, I still love to play. Thankfully there is another girl who plays so I can play too.

But one thing I've observed is that the basketball court is a place of unspoken intimacy. When you are guarding another person there is all sorts of incidental contact that happens, and it's OK, it's part of the game. When my hand grazes another players butt or hip or something else, he/she knows I'm attempting to guard them and it's OK. When someone sets a screen and I run straight into the chest of a man I normally wouldn't ever get so close too, it's OK. It's all part of the game. When I hook arms with the player I'm gaurding (or fouling), it's OK. There's only been one time where I accidentally grazed some gentleman's "package." But what can I say, he was trying to drive the lane. Not in my house, buddy! We never spoke of it, because again, it's all part of the game (and it would have embarassed him quite a bit).

The point I'm trying to make is, we're comfortable on the court. While we may not know each other that well in life, we know what each other is like on the court. And because we know each other in that way, the touchy intimacy is OK. It's part of the game. In fact, it's normal.

Now I know this may be a stretch, but what if community among followers of Christ were like that? What if we knew each other so well, that intimacy was comfortable? Of course, I don't necessarily mean touchy intimacy like on the court. But what if being completely vulnerable and known was not only comfortable, but expected - just part of following Christ? While on the basketball court we are united in the purpose of scoring, in life we are united by Christ. What if that were enough to make us comfortable with each other so that we were intimatly known and knew others?

And what would the result be? On the court, you're working together to achieve a common goal. What if we could follow Christ as a team, helping each other run the race to the end? I actually think that is what community is supposed to be like. All of us together, enduring the messy fouls, keeping each other hydrated, making it to the end.

Funny the things you learn on a basketball court. And sorry if I've made you feel uncomfortable, Trina. I have to do something to keep you from scoring.

2+2=nothing relational

My thoughts on surrender continue. Here's where I'm at now. How does one fully surrender? I know that it is unrealistic to want a formulaic, quick fix, easy 5 step guide to full surrender. Yet, according to how I live, that is what I want and seek. A quick fix or prayer to solve all my problems. I want the easy way. The one that doesn't take much of my time, thought, energy and overall effort.

But do I really want that? What would this relationship look like if Jesus consistenly doled out formulas to walking with Him? Something tells me that wouldn't be much of a relationship and any intimacy would be contrived. How would one grow if it were easy to follow Christ? And how would I ever experience His gentleness, His grace, His comfort etc. if life were struggle free? It has been in the midst of my struggles that I have found Him the most sweet. Would I really want to replace His loving, gentle touch in a hard, messy relationship with a simple, cold formula?

Of course, I know too well that that Jesus is not formulaic. He is a relational being and we are made in His image. It seems to be His plan that we learn and experience surrender in community and relationship with Him and others. Again, we are in a relationship. Relationships are hard and messy and time consuming and humbling and incredible and refining and wonderful, fun, adventurous, etc. Our relationship with Jesus no doubt has all of these characteristics. But here's the problem. Even knowing all of this, I still struggle to count the cost and fully surrender.

Perhaps the real question is this. Is there something lacking in my view of Him. Does my view of God effect how willing I am to surrender? Does my small, consumer oriented view of God cause me to be lazy when counting the cost of following Jesus? Does it make me less willing to fully surrender?

No doubt the answer to all of the above is yes. Look at the Biblical precedent. Paul. Isaiah. Moses. The woman at the well. Ruth. And so on. They all encountered God and lived surrendered lives. And for the most part, they didn't really seem to struggle with the surrendering. Not to say that they did not encounter struggles, they certainly did. But whatever the cost, they lived surrendered lives. Is it because they knew intimately Him whom they followed and knew His worth, even if it meant their very lives? Look at the apostles. They counted the cost and gave their lives. They knew Him and found Him worthy.

The problem is I am a consumer. I ultimately only come to Jesus because I want something from Him. In doing so, I fail to see His wonder, His beauty, His mystery, His worth. I've made Jesus, the King of all Kings, my own personal Santa Claus. And I've grown pretty adept at calling that intimacy. I am now finding that kind of intimacy... empty.

In my cloak of false intimacy I'm discovering that just maybe, I really don't know Him that well at all. And when intimacy is false, surrender is only a facade.

What if "Sleepless in Seattle" was a horror movie?

Check it out. http://www.tomatopatch.com/films/sleepless.htm