"For" or "With"...

It's amazing how a change of one word can alter an entire concept or experience. One word!

We've been discussing a series in our sermon prep group about people taking their place in actually living more fully for God. It can be easy to take our faith (and the grace extended to us) and settle into a comfortable life. Heck, it's the "American way" really. Me, me, me. ;) That, or we can easily slip into a life that's a nice copy of someone else's call. Not "bad" but not original. Jesus actually calls us to a life of more...a life of discovery AND expression. Looking at the world around us, we so need more people to take their place in God's great narrative. 

The question is...life FOR God or life WITH God. 

Those words...for vs. with...can produce very different lives. 

For me, "for God" can be good, but I don't think it's the fullest reality of life we are made for. It can be a good place to start, but to stay there would be to remain satisfied with milk as opposed to meat. Greater maturity is offered to us and asked of us in my opinion. In addition to fullness of faith, I believe there is a potential for the faith of "for" to become religious or pharisaical...letting our "doing" be what gives us life or a sense of identity. Looking at history and events of the day, there is plenty of evidence as to the destructive potential of that kind of religiosity...

Certainly, there are beautiful things that can be expressed in living "for" God. It's not "bad" in and of itself. But is it all we are made for?...I don't think so. 

The Trinity at their core are relational, and that reality is the basis for what I think we are called to. A life "with" God. I believe it's Their nature to invite humans into Their relational context. They are "with" and can't help but to invite us into "with". Their "with" is, of course, identity-filling...the true source of life and light in the center of our being. To know whose we are and who we really are as sons and daughters (and friends) of God is life-altering.

But, it dawns on me...the "with" context isn't purely for identity!!! We aren't filled to keep that life to ourselves. Our "doings" in the context of "with"...??? Oh my...being a partner with God in the expression of His love and kingdom...co-laborer... Thinking more and more about that is so very exciting to me.

Yay! Bring it, Jesus!