How can Your Word be interpreted so differently? What if I'm WRONG? Lord??

July 14, 2008

Lord, about “our church”… I am wondering (maybe hearing fromm You) if maybe You call different people to different things… how can it be that so many of Your people can have some really different ideas of things like the “structure” or “system” of “church” … and be so sure they are right…? I know we sometimes get “100%” votes on things… but why is that? Do people really come to total agreement… or just give in… or maybe abstain/ stay away when it’s time to vote? … or??

How can “Your Word” be interpreted so “differently” if it’s One Word and One Spirit?

In the early church there was one “church” (body… ) per city… and a real effort by the over-overseers (apostles etc) to make sure that things were believed and behaved/ done/ systemized the same way in all the churches… though they sure had to keep on top of it…

They always appealed to scripture… and to the teaching of Jesus, which was passed on by the apostles… even they themselves sometimes had to straighten out one another a bit… clearly, writing down the events and doctrine was important to them (and to us… “{ oral tradition” it seems, can too easily become “myth”) … even then, not everyone agreed even about what was written… but at least they could ask the writer… for awhile, at least…

But, Lord, this “go home and pray” thing at the AGM… ___ seemed totally convinced about his viewpoint about the whole “elder/ board” thing… and ___ about the whole “tithe” thing…

I wonder? What if people do go home and fast and pray? And they don’t come back agreeing with __ and ___? Or maybe they are right… and You will change those who don’t agree with them…

Lord, I came home and prayed… and waited awhile… and went to scripture… and I’ve been praying more… and I do want Your will… (and so far I don’t see their viewpoints as being Your way…

At least, I don’t see me being part of something that… that I don’t see (agree with ?!?!) that way… or at least, don’t have to agree with… even if I am to “get along with…”

This is like school, too… What if you don’t agree with/ believe in something at a really fundamental level… but you seem to be placed there… there what? Is this where taking one day, one moment, one step at a time, comes in? Maybe in a long period of time ending up having some influence after all? Or finding out that they are right and I am wrong? How can such highly educated, experienced pastors and leaders be wrong? Or are there simply different “rights” for different times, places, cultures? (I mean in details… surely not in principles…)

What if I’m just WRONG???
About everything? Lord????

I don’t know… I feel like I need to be involved if I’m going to stay at “this church”… Lord, I just don’t know… I’m so puzzled… unsure… Is this just another wait-and-see-where-the-Lord-is-leading-and-what-He is-doing-time?? Okay… patience. Trust… Faithfulness (to You! to anyone/ anything else?? Lord??

Rest.
The answer will come!
I love you, My child.

Okay!