The Patterns of This World...

Sometimes I wonder if turning Scripture into "memory verses" ruins our ability to truly grasp the meaning. The classic example would be John 3:16. I can hear my childhood voice spitting it out as quickly as possible, like it were a competition to see who could ramble the fastest. I wonder why we do this to the most important verses- I find we become immune to the power that lay within each one.

So here I am, spending my Sunday evening the best way possible. I already slept in (used Nyquil last night due to a ghastly cold), grocery shopped (spent a lot less than planned!), and watched my share of football (well, there really is no limit to the amount of football that I can watch, but the Patriots aired here in Nashville and that was just perfect! Plus- they won!). I'm drinking my green tea and eating Back To Nature peanut butter cookies (just 'cause they're organic doesn't make them any less fattening...) and am trying to be as focused as possible. I popped onto Facebook and an old friend, Jake, suggested I dedicate my blog to him. "Write how much you miss a short kid in NH with tattoos and a white truck..." Jake. I miss you. :) My roommate also mentioned that I could write about the dynamics here in our apartment. Words cannot even describe...

Anyway. Church tonight gave me a lot to think about. The entire service was powerful, with spontaneous baptisms and wonderful worship, but there is no way I could write about everything. This is just one of the points made (and a mere 5 seconds of the service... ).

A single moment captured me tonight during church, at Crosspoint. While talking about our previous week of pledging for our Hope Centers and new campus opening, one of our pastors made the comment "I am so blown away by stepping out in faith that has taken place here. You continually prove your home is elsewhere, and exemplify Romans 12:2..." I paused for a second. Wait, 12:2? That's "Do not conform any longer to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind in Christ Jesus..." See, there I go again. Darn memory verses. (I am not taking away from the importance of the knowledge of scripture. I am merely pointing out how easy it is to forget what it really does mean...).

The patterns of this world... to hoard, to get. To be comfortable. That's the goal, isn't it? I quickly pulled out my Journal to jot down the verse. Next to it I wrote "Avoiding Comfort". What a thought! Romans 12:2- a verse I have always connected with things like sexuality, drugs, and alcohol. You know, the "good Christian life." But money? Stuff? Comfort? THOSE are the patterns of the world. Hallelujah for new takes on memory verses!

So I guess some of my (and maybe your) favorite memorized verses need a second look. I fear we are limiting the power intended in each and every word.

-xT-