May 9, 2020 is the first day of Phase I North Carolina - Day 1 on the path to recovery, a new beginning.
Many of my church friends are ready to resume "real church," but I do not believe that Sunday morning at 11:00 am is "real church." In fact, I think I have enjoyed more of what Jesus intended the church to be during the past 8 weeks than during the past 40-50 years.
Since 1960, many of us have worshipped worship more than we have worshipped God. (Yes, I wrote that last sentence correctly.) Instead of worshipping God as our creator and sustainer, we turned the Sunday service into a consumer experience where we expected to be entertained. Instead of giving to God, we expected to receive, and if we did not get what we wanted, we complained. I have been part of the consumer-oriented thinking so I am being critical of myself.
During the past 8 weeks, I have thought about "why" and "what" a lot. Why are we on this earth? What does God want from me? From His church? What must change about the way we do church?
My 16-page Personal Life Plan has become God's Plan for David and is now summarized in three words:
1. Submission. If I am to follow the Great Commandment (love God with all my being) then I must submit my entire life to God. His will in place of my will in all areas of my life.
2. Service. The 2nd commandment says I must love my neighbor. If I love my neighbor I will put my neighbor's needs ahead of my wants. I will gladly serve others.
3. Intentionality. Jesus said that I should be in the world, making disciples. God shaped me to carry out His plan and placed me in a specific piece of the world. I must live each day, intentionally focused on this mission.
The Covid19 disruption stopped the world. In my case, the slowdown allowed me to rethink the priorities in my life. I do not know what the new normal will look like in the next few months. My prayer and hope are that we believers will evaluate our relationship with God and intentionally live lives of service to others, in complete submission to God.
