The phrase ‘with the greatest of respect’ is a polite disclaimer for an avalanche of sentiment that may not appear all that respectful.
Therefore, with the greatest of respect, some of us in church gatherings are looking for a lot of things, but Jesus isn’t high on that list. It’s almost like we treat the gathering like a trip to Tescos.
Got my ‘feel happy’ praise.
Got my inspired word that makes me feel better.
Got my lovely cup of tea
Got the latest gossip on what the brother did last night and what the sister said about it.
That’s my fill for the week, I look forward to the praises going up and the blessings coming down next week.
Don’t get me wrong, emotions are not bad necessarily, but when the quest is selfish and the thought is primarily what I am getting from the experience it shows how wrong we have this.
Knocking around with generous folks I notice they anticipate the time of gathering as an opportunity to share. They are eager to give as well as see what others have been blessed to offer. That also changes the dynamic of gatherings and who is to say that overflow might even impact the world beyond the gathering.
For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
C. L. J. Dryden
Life With CD 