Being Real

It used to be I'd wait in the car during Molly's dance lesson, using the time to catch up on Bible study or Oswald. Since the time change it's been too dark so I've been sitting in the tiny lobby at the desk. Last week I got distracted by some older girls from an earlier class discussing why they weren't dancing with the junior company. I was impressed to hear them say that because they were Christians, they refused to dance for the company because they were required, as company members, to dance in the annual production of Dracula. I encouraged them and told them about Patty Graham and Lauren LoPresto who have a worship dance company open to the public.

This week, I was desperately needing some time alone with my studies when a grandmother (whom I see every week but don't interact with much) brought her dinner to the desk and began questioning me about what I was doing. (It's a very small desk... getting smaller).

How do you wrap up 9 weeks of incredible study on revival for a total stranger? How do you tell them that life is not life, but rather death, without an intimate relationship with God?

She told me that she was raised Catholic and that the whole concept of a personal relationship with Jesus was a fairly new concept- something that has only been "pushed" for, say, the past 15-20 years. She said that she learned many of the concepts I was mentioning (honesty, humility, repentance, holiness, grace, obedience, clear conscience, and forgiveness)in catechism. I told her I understood about catechism because I had gone through it as well (although not raised Catholic). I shared with her that all catechism taught me was that there was a holy God to be feared but nothing of His interest in me personally. Sure, He wanted to redeem mankind but He probably had no clue that I even existed. I shared with her that I really had no use for that kind of religion (or God, for that matter). She looked a little shocked that I would be so bold (or maybe disrespectful) to toss out religion like that but I meant it. She asked me where I went to church.

I don't know if she saw any Jesus in me or not. I hope so. She said, "Nice meeting you," when I left. All I know is that when I see her again I hope we'll talk more about this "new" concept of a personal God and relationship with Him. I've never really been able to talk freely about a truely intimate relationship with Him to other people, mainly because only recently has He become more than just an aquaintence. It wasn't until He rescued me from the pits of despair and held my hand as He walked through the really scary, yucky stuff of life that He became "real" to me. And now I'm "real" to Him as well....and you know what happens when you're "real", don't you?

I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. John 10:28