STAINED GLASS MASQUERADE
I'm not so into Casting Crowns but the words to this song, Stained Glass Masquerade, which was performed by Luke's team the same week that I spoke on exhibiting "authentic life" in Christ, are stunning, telling, and directive - pointing us to the heart of grace, to real relationship with Christ and humble, open, healing community with one another.
"Stained Glass Masquerade"
Is there anyone that fails
Is there anyone that falls
Am I the only one in church today feelin' so small
Cause when I take a look around
Everybody seems so strong
I know they'll soon discover
That I don't belong
So I tuck it all away, like everything's okay
If I make them all believe it, maybe I'll believe it too
So with a painted grin, I play the part again
So everyone will see me the way that I see them
Are we happy plastic people
Under shiny plastic steeples
With walls around our weakness
And smiles to hide our pain
But if the invitation's open
To every heart that has been broken
Maybe then we close the curtain
On our stained glass masquerade
Is there anyone who's been there
Are there any hands to raise
Am I the only one who's traded
In the altar for a stage
The performance is convincing
And we know every line by heart
Only when no one is watching
Can we really fall apart
But would it set me free
If I dared to let you see
The truth behind the person
That you imagine me to be
Would your arms be open
Or would you walk away
Would the love of Jesus
Be enough to make you stay
Hi Steve,
The last two stanzas of that Casting Crowns' song are really key to all of this. I can speak out very boldly and intelligently just as I can blurt out stupidly at times. But as far as my really, truly inner feelings and deep, deep fears go, I dare not reveal them to most people in The College Church. At times I've tried, but I got that big old REJECTION sticker when I did. But not from everyone--not recently. Soooooo.....
Well I just have this to say, if we as a body want to come together in unity of spirit, we have to do it in the flesh as well. We have to look each other in the face and see the real hurting person and take what Jesus has given us for commandments. The commandments He gave us and those He gave Paul to give to us. Those commandments teach us how to live like Jesus and how to love and respect each other and care for each other. I probably sound like I'm parroting you, because you've been saying this in your sermons and in Theology class, but I'm really just agreeing with you.
Shortly before you came here the Lord was finally opening the eyes of my heart to see a lot of those commandments. They appear to be instructions, but they are also commandments. God isn't just instructing us to love our neighbors as ourselves or to submit to and respect our husbands, or to love our wives as Christ loved the church. He is telling us we'd are to do it!
Or else!
Or else we are going to lose a great blessing. Or else we are not going to build the church--the church being a group of people who are learning to obey and trust God and to prepare for life eternal in heaven with HIM! When we are gone from this life into eternal life with Jesus we'll know each other in all truth and we won't be able to hide from each other and there will be nothing to hide. We who get there will be perfect.
I know that we can't get that perfect here on earth, but from my Bible studies I know that Jesus expects us to get as close as we can. Close isn't in the Bible, but I think it is an appropriate paraphrase, and I for one am far from close. When I ask myself how I could ever get that way the answer is this: I need the Holy Spirit's work in my life, and that is happening. But I also need to be part of a group of believers in Jesus Christ who are completely committed to Him and to being His disciples, and who are totally willing to be committed to holding each other up in the bright light of Holy truth and love.
This is what I crave.
I've been looking for this since I was a little child and I've come close. Right now I feel frustratingly close and at the same time I feel I feel frustratingly far from it. What draws me into the circle of the Holy Spirit is being in a Bible study with people who are getting what the book and chapter and God is saying together. When we all go "Ahhh" together and either out loud or mentally we say "Amen."
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Amen!
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