Boredom...thy name is Christianity?

How can the mundane become majestic?

Our summer series kicked off tonight. The overall theme sounds like it was stolen from a children's VBS; but it holds the summer together. Jesus: The Guardian.

There are so many things that Jesus saves us from...we will look at a couple things that his work of protection takes care of. Things like worry; isolation; boredom; doubt; and sin. Later on this summer Aaron Jones will teach us how Jesus saves us from worry, and Travis McKinley will teach us how Jesus saves us from ourselves.

We started the night by sharing the most boring times of our lives, and the best way we found to deal with that boredom. Our absentee member, Aleesha, posted a list that were some of her favorite ways to deal with it (you can see that here).

Tonight's lesson was on Jesus saving us from boredom. As Christians, there are times when our life reaches that point where it is meaningless ritual and common place habit. Church on Sunday, the 2 minute prayer before bed, the occasional chapter read: these are the things that makes up a life of faith.

I can't help but envy the life of the apostles. Miraculous things seemed to be a common place. Jesus hawking a loogie in a guys face in John 9, Paul's handkerchiefs healing people in Acts 19, Peter walking on water in Matthew 14; these are news worthy events that happened to the followers of Jesus, and made up their church bulletins and filled their doughnut talk time. How the mundane became majestic. What fills our time now? What makes news these days in the life of church goers?

Lack of parking spaces, luke warm coffee, catching up on the week. What has happened? I'm convinced that if we are bored, it is because we have not allowed ourselves to see whats happening. I challenged the students who felt bored in their faith to look at two things: Creation and others. Looking at creation will remind us of the power that God has and the majesty that he has. The second thing to look at is the lives around you. It is amazing to hear how God has worked and is working in those around. I am reminded of Phil and Elizabeth who are in North Africa as missionaries and the stories they tell. I recall my conversations with Dee Bowden these last couple weeks, and how God is working in a man that is already so close to him. I hear stories from our students at Jr. High Camp and how God is doing things in their life. In hearing these things I think back to the oral traditions of Israel and the campfire talks that Moses must have had about God's working, and I feel close to the life that I envy.

After youth group, we went to my house and watched "Enchanted." Most of you know of my infatuation with Carrie Underwood. Her song in that movie inspires me. In her music video she is actually animated as a Disney princess, thus combining two of my favorite things. Most of the guys played a nasty game of ultimate Frisbee in the mud hole that is my front yard. We came back filthy, but it was a great game.