Focus

Do you remember learning how to drive? Remember when you thought you knew what to do...and then you got behind the wheel and actually discovered you had a few things to learn? Well, I have a 13 year old... and he wants to drive. You see he's a good driver in video games and in his I-touch apps...and he probably would be decent...cause he's a pretty sharp kid...but? My hunch is he'll have the same learning experiences when he's ready to drive as most of us. They are the kind of things you cannot know...until you experience it...in the moment... as you are driving. Then reality hits. Wow, I never knew that! Wow, I never noticed that before! Wow, I never thought that was important... until now! I remember when I first learned to drive...and as you drive down the highway you would inevitably find yourself hugging the right line of the road...or the left line of your lane. Its a common problem. You don't realize you're doing it until your driving instructor points it out. It seems the line on the road you focus on...is the one you will tend to drive towards. So if you are a driver focused on the left line as you drive, you'll most likely hug that line as you drive...the result is you are not in the middle of the lane as you think...but you are mostly to the left of the lane. The solution...don't focus on either the left or right line...but on the lane in the distance in front of you. If you do, you will stay more center as you drive. The lesson here is simple...what you focus on...you tend to drift towards. The same can be said of spiritual things I think. In most church circles our teaching, bible reading and overall lifestyle focus seems to focus on this thing called "sin". So we teach about it...what it is and isn't...how grace is the solution for it...how Jesus paid the price for it. We read the bible looking for rules and guidelines to keep us from it. We even look selfishly to discover how different aspects of sin are defined so we can get close...but not cross the line into it.

We live a lot of our spiritual journey dealing with sin... and the accompanying guilt that comes with doing "it". We try to discipline ourselves and others so as to prevent "it" from happening. We tend to notice sin in others. We tend to want to point it out to them. In fact, all too often we are known for "pointing it out" too often...and that has discouraged many a soul. And though not all of this preoccupation with sin is bad...some of it is noble...but are we focused on the wrong thing here? And since we are focused on the wrong thing...we tend to drift toward it every time. Our church programs are focused on helping people stop their sinning. Our evangelism is focused on letting people know they are a sinner and need Jesus to forgive them of their sin...or that Hell thing is what they get for said "sin". Are we focused on the wrong thing? Has our drift to this "sin line" made the journey more dangerous for us and others? Too many live under the burden of guilt. Too many already know they are not what they should be. Since when is someone pointing out how wrong you are attractive? How encouraging is it to your own soul to examine yourself in the same way? I would suggest we look at scripture a bit closer...all the way back in the beginning...in the first book of the Bible, Genesis. As most read this book they are usually fixated temporarily with God's wonderful creation...but then we zero in on Adam & Eve's blowing it with the first "sin"...and how they got kicked out of Paradise. Oh way to go Adam & Eve...you screwed it up for the rest of us! We focus on sin...temptation...and judgement. Are we focused on the wrong things here? Look closer. Before sin...God says something for the first time...did you notice? It's probably just as important as the "first sin"...perhaps even more so. You see as Genesis speaks of God creating His marvelous universe...we see God is very pleased. He creates the sun, stars and moon...it is good! He creates land and sea...it is good! He creates plants and trees...it is good! He creates animals even...it is good! He creates Adam...the first person...and God says something for the first time. "It is NOT good that you are alone". This is the first time God says something is NOT good in His creation. Wow, that's a big deal don't cha think? What's weird about this is the Bible makes it clear that Adam walked and talked with God everyday. Adam hung out with God for daily strolls through Paradise. Yet, God says, "it's NOT good that you are alone". Huh? Even more interesting is..."sin" had not entered creation yet. Adam had it all... peace with the animals...provision of every need...a beautiful place to live...and an unhindered relationship with God, beyond what you and I have ever known. Yet God says, "it is NOT good that you are alone". This tells us a few vital things...God created us to be "relational beings". Having a relationship with God, even a perfect one...is not enough..."it is NOT good that you are alone." If we indeed are created in God's image...then we are relational beings...as is He. Another important clue here..."aloneness" is NOT the result of "sin"... "aloneness" is the lack of vital human relationship. Those relationships can be hindered or destroyed because of sin... but "aloneness" can exist away from sin too. We were designed by God to be in relationship with Him AND with other people. We were designed for both. One without the other still does not satisfy the longing of our soul. It's been said we all have a "God shaped hole" in us that longs to be filled by a genuine relationship with God. I would suggest that we also have a "human relationship shaped hole" that causes us to long for authentic human relationships. Not just marriage, though that can be what satisfies the soul. But a vital human relationship where God's love is experienced person to person. It may be a friend, a spouse or a family member...but we all long for it. I would suggest that a soul missing either a genuine relationship with God as well as with another person...will know it's missing...cause the longing tells you so. We know it is "NOT good to be alone". At ECHO we love that God knows that about us also. In fact He made us that way. In fact, He craves relationship as we do...for we are created in His image. God is in fact a relational being...Father, Son & Holy Spirit...mysteriously, cooperatively, supporting each other in perfect harmony. Perhaps this "relational lens" makes more sense of this God is Trinity thing that we struggle so much to grasp...but I digress. At ECHO, we would like to suggest a re-focus, away from a "sin" focused spirituality consumed with all matters of sin related topics...to a "relationship" focused spirituality. One that embraces our design for a relationship with God...and with others. That "aloneness" is not a result of sin...but of a part of our nature unfulfilled...perhaps that is why God emphasizes all that "love others" kind of stuff. So what about "sin"... do we ignore it? Well clearly not, God didn't...it's pretty serious stuff...that is why Jesus came to die on our behalf. That is the "good news"...that the penalty for all sin has been taken care of. The "good news" invites all who will trust...to have a relationship with God...and learn how to have authentic relationships with other people as well. God treats sin so harshly and clearly...not because He is some "dictator in the sky", but because it hinders and even destroys "relationship". Sin screws up our relationship with God because we lean away from trusting Him...and sin messes up our human relationships as well. The more the pain of sin enters a relationship, the more distant it will become...until it may even be permanently destroyed. How sad is that? God hates sin because of what it does to relationships. It hurts and even destroys people. It wounds people and keeps them from each other...and even from God...without His grace. Perhaps if we focused on "relationship" as God's primary concern...especially whenever we read about "sin stuff"...it'll cause us to gravitate to a better place...closer to God's heart. Then scriptures telling us about sin and what it is...is more like God giving us healthy boundaries to protect our relationships with Him & others. When we see verses admonishing us to 'flee from sin"...we might actually hear God say, "flee from anything that screws up relationships". When we hear God say, "I hate sin"...we may actually hear Him say, "I want a relationship with you so much...and I hate what gets in the way." When God says He hates sin, may we also hear Him say, "I hate anything that ruins your relationships...because I know broken relationships hurt so much...and you were not created to be in pain or alone!" Maybe God takes this relationship thing so serious... that's why he dealt with the "sin thing" so dramatically! At ECHO, we want people to hear God's heart in this relational context...because that is how He created us...and that is how He intends us to live...in genuine relationship with Him and with each other! May that be our message. May we see God's primary concern as being "relationship" ...not "sin". Perhaps more will listen and comprehend that echo...cause it resonates in our soul and theirs.

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be God's!

Brian O

Lead Pastor dude, ECHO