Enough

Is Emmanuel (God with us) enough? The culture of outcomes, deliverables, ROI's, and consumerism is crushing our souls - invading our spaces of worship and sacred practices like a hostile take-over. No wonder we are spiritually malnourished and far from being whole.

God told us upfront that He would be with us always - a rare promise in Scripture for all for all time. Why is it not enough? It flows from our lips with responses of "Amen" from our listeners but then bounces off our hearts. Perhaps our obsession with tangible empirical results cloud our ability to truly enjoy His Presence?

It has for me. And I want to change. I want to know the joy of being with Him without immediately wondering how that might translate into "wins" for the Kingdom. He has already won.

Emmanuel is not an excuse to be lazy or guilty of poor stewardship. We have a Great Commission that is action oriented. But He proclaimed Emmanuel before He proclaimed the Great Commission. We tend to proclaim it in the opposite order. Rightly practiced, our steps should be birthed out of His Presence. But mostly practiced, our steps are great in number long before we consider His Presence.

I have a long way to go before I fully develop this spiritual practice. But it is essential that I do. Maybe for you too? 

May Enough be reclaimed in our hearts and in the hearts of our churches.

Ex nihilo,

R.J. Rhoden