Foolish man who built a Boat

Last Sunday, I went to Cornerstone CCC for a visit and was pleasantly surprised that Jer was speaking! I said I'd go and listen to him when he did, but didn't know he was that day.  I went there cuz I slept in for 9:30am at TCCC.  Sadly, everytime I visit Cornerstone, everyone knows that I slept in.  Sometimes when I actually choose to go, I have to defend myself that I actually did intend to sleep in...nonetheless I was blessed that I went; in addition to Jer's message, which spoke right to me, Pastor Andrew's warm welcoming hug and smiling face always makes me feel so at home.

God's voice is getting louder, again calling me in all ways in my life; calling me to spend more time with Him; in solitude and silence; but I've been pre-occupied and too busy for Him :(  Sunday's sermon from Jer seemed tailor-made for me.

On Philippians 3 (my favourite passage too!)

But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.  What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things.  I now consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ - the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.  I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.

The analogy Jer used was from George Anderson - about a foolish man who built a boat - and he wanted it to be the most beautiful boat, with all the luxuries for people to admire, and so he fitted it with the colourful and grand sails, brass rails, all the details for people to enjoy and admire.  However, he thought that since people couldn't see anything below the waterline, he didn't need to focus on it, nor put too much effort in building it.  So you know where this is going - the ship sank right to the bottom at the first storm because the base, what was below the waterline, was lighter than the top and it could not stand.

Lately I've been neglecting my base.  Been pretty busy just doing things; which I really enjoy and I tend to think what I'm doing it is helpful in some way.  But as someone pointed out to me, I've been pretty unfocused; and have fallen to my usual trap of being too task-oriented.  Hence the busyness.  But it should never be that my activities take away from the time I need to know God; to fellowship in Him, to share in Christ's sufferings.  Knowing God - I forget what that means to know Him; intimacy; faithfulness; reverent obedience in all I do, say and think; constant open communication with Him; to learn what pleases Him; to have a broken and humble heart.  Philipians 3 - reminds me that the things I tend to value, within the Christian culture, is rubbish ('dog dung' was what the Message used); nothing compared to knowing Christ Jesus, my Lord.  I want to know Christ.  I want to share in His sufferings.  I want to put to death the things in my life that need to die - becoming like Him in His death.  And somehow, somehow to attain the resurrection from the dead - well I can only leave that part up to God.