Penguins can't surf.
Last night I arrived (somewhat late) to a reunion from my friends' trip to Africa. After we listened to them share their hearts as well as good stories, Brad Baker came forward to wrap everything up. He spoke of the future of where Crave is headed, and the many ways we want to reach out to the world. While he did this, papers were passed out with several ideas for how to serve people in the upcoming year. The idea was to fill out what you might be interested in, as well as answer a few questions, before turning it in. I chose to scribble all my thoughts on the back and take it home instead. Sure I broke the rules, but regardless, here is what is on my heart:
I don't see movies very often. The last movie I saw in theaters was Surf's Up. And yes, that is the movie about the surfing penguins. Without going into detail, let's just say it was everything I hoped for and much more. Now there was one scene in particular that really got my attention. It was when Big Z, the old legendary surfer, was teaching Cody Maverick, the young kid, how to shape a surfboard. He said something that I think is truly profound. They laid out a fresh log, and before he began cutting away at the board, Big Z told Cody Maverick something along the lines of this:
You don't need to shape the surfboard. The surfboard is already inside. You just have to cut it out.
I think that as Christians it is so easy to think that becoming closer to God means doing more, working harder, being busy, and not complaining when we are burned out. Sermons on weekends, and bible studies in small groups are eventually just more stuff we have to do, more problems we have to fix, and more things we have to change. When I teach my small group guys, I try to always remind them that Christianity isn't just a list of do's and dont's, but rather, an attempt at simplicity. And Christianity in its simplest form is the cross. Oswald Chambers says that as we come closer to God, we find ourselves not adding but subtracting. Not overwhelmed with stuff we have to do, but instead, with the meaning of the cross, and the story of God unfolding on earth. Essentially, with each step towards growing closer to God, we are chipping away at the log in hopes of unveiling the cross in our lives. The simplicity of Christianity.
In my life, I feel like I am just beginning to chip away at what is keeping the cross from being fully unveiled. Just like shaping a surfboard, you can't just rip the surfboard out of the log. It is out of the question. So the question then becomes, what is my next carve. What will I chip away next. What piece needs to go, not just because I don't need it, but because when it is gone, I can see what else is keeping me from the masterpiece inside.
Sometimes I feel so discouraged battling the same sins day after day. But I know that when I give them up and put my trust in God's plan, he will reveal to me the other parts that I need to change in me. The next part to chip away. So I fight against my temptations not because I am near to perfection, but because that is simply my next cut. The only other option is to walk away.
What is my next carve?
What area of my life needs to be simplified?
I guess these are some of the thoughts rummaging through my head.
Because Christianity is simple.
And Christianity in its simplest form is the cross.
I don't see movies very often. The last movie I saw in theaters was Surf's Up. And yes, that is the movie about the surfing penguins. Without going into detail, let's just say it was everything I hoped for and much more. Now there was one scene in particular that really got my attention. It was when Big Z, the old legendary surfer, was teaching Cody Maverick, the young kid, how to shape a surfboard. He said something that I think is truly profound. They laid out a fresh log, and before he began cutting away at the board, Big Z told Cody Maverick something along the lines of this:
You don't need to shape the surfboard. The surfboard is already inside. You just have to cut it out.
I think that as Christians it is so easy to think that becoming closer to God means doing more, working harder, being busy, and not complaining when we are burned out. Sermons on weekends, and bible studies in small groups are eventually just more stuff we have to do, more problems we have to fix, and more things we have to change. When I teach my small group guys, I try to always remind them that Christianity isn't just a list of do's and dont's, but rather, an attempt at simplicity. And Christianity in its simplest form is the cross. Oswald Chambers says that as we come closer to God, we find ourselves not adding but subtracting. Not overwhelmed with stuff we have to do, but instead, with the meaning of the cross, and the story of God unfolding on earth. Essentially, with each step towards growing closer to God, we are chipping away at the log in hopes of unveiling the cross in our lives. The simplicity of Christianity.
In my life, I feel like I am just beginning to chip away at what is keeping the cross from being fully unveiled. Just like shaping a surfboard, you can't just rip the surfboard out of the log. It is out of the question. So the question then becomes, what is my next carve. What will I chip away next. What piece needs to go, not just because I don't need it, but because when it is gone, I can see what else is keeping me from the masterpiece inside.
Sometimes I feel so discouraged battling the same sins day after day. But I know that when I give them up and put my trust in God's plan, he will reveal to me the other parts that I need to change in me. The next part to chip away. So I fight against my temptations not because I am near to perfection, but because that is simply my next cut. The only other option is to walk away.
What is my next carve?
What area of my life needs to be simplified?
I guess these are some of the thoughts rummaging through my head.
Because Christianity is simple.
And Christianity in its simplest form is the cross.
posted by David Hughes at 9:05 PM
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