Letter from Pastor Steve Lapp
Status Quo
Status quo- let me give you the Steve Lapp definition of this – the art of dying slowly. This has been in my heart now this whole week, we live in crazy times that cause our Faith to freeze rendering us helpless, we lose the ability to think on our feet we kind of get into floating.
This is a time we celebrate the arrival of the Savior of mankind, Emmanuel, God with us. Jesus came at a time in Church history that was frozen and stuck in the land of Status Quo. Cold, mean-spirited religious men had a stranglehold on people’s spiritual destiny. Being religious was popular for sure but enjoying life and destiny… no way!!!
What must have sparked in the hearts of the wise men as they pursued month’s years to see this Christ child who would forever change history?
What sparked in Mary’s heart, as she trusted God with fulfilling the great gift that would come through her?
Status Quo for these people, I don’t think so!!!! And as Christmas fast approaches with family, dinners, presents. It is easy to just be a part of the Status quo
But you don’t have to… just like the wise men that followed the Star. So you and I can follow the Master. Challenge yourself. Chase him pour your life into his!!! Jesus came as a gift to you and me and made a way out of Status Quo lives. It is his spirit that fills and energizes us!!!
As I was thinking about this I want to clearly say that isn’t just about change or doing something different it is a shifting a metamorphosis. I think of the caterpillar in the cocoon, it is sitting but a dynamic event is occurring. This caterpillar is developing into something he has never experienced or seen before. The caterpillar has never flown before hasn’t been fitted for this but it nevertheless is ready to fly.
This Christmas and the coming year of 2009 can be different. But it will mean us getting busy. I was reading an article about metabolism and how we can speed up our metabolism by becoming active. The reality is that the longer we sit the harder it is to get up and get going.
Is your spiritual metabolism speeding up? A sure way to get that going is to get going. There are so many things that you can get active in. I think a lot of what we do is sit and think and sit and sulk. And our spiritual metabolisms come to a screeching halt.
James talked about faith and he said a very convicting statement, “you show me faith I will show you my actions!!!”
The only way to get out of the status quo and build up our metabolism is to get some action, spiritual movement. I heard a preacher once say “I don’t want to be a bump on a pickle!!!”
This Christmas and into 2009 pick up the pace… run the race that is set out for you, and be of service to those around you. Be a blessing.
Getting it moving!!
Pastor Steve
