50 Ways to Get Through Easter... Vitality!

“You will show me the path to life, fullness of joys in your presence, the delights at your right hand forever..” (Psalm 16: 11)

Easter Day #47: Vitality!

What is VITAL to your faith? What is the thing you must have above all else to have this all make sense in your life? Is the resurrected Christ enough? Do you need a bit “self-help”? Are you interested in books or videos to help open up the message? Are you interested in learning or studying the history and reason of it all? Are you wanting to get involved and help someone? Is it about the music and the worship? Do you need an amazing sermon? What is VITAL to the continuation of your faith, and how do you plan to proceed with “Church” come this Pentecost Sunday? No matter your motivation, or what it is that you need from faith, there is one thing that is very clear to me... YOU are VITAL to The Faith!

I’m struck at the number of factors that we make VITAL to experiencing faith. It does have to be convenient, and personally meaningful. It seems to need an entertainment value, or a good way to pass the hour. We must have a sense of control over it, to make sure it is worth our time and effort. And it does carry the expectation that a person should become “improved” by its fruits. But with all of that said, I feel its all secondary to the VITAL role that you must play in my faith. If you don’t go to church, then “WE” don’t meet. If you don’t pray, then “WE” can’t listen. If you don’t participate, then “WE” can’t serve. So YOU are the one who is the VITAL piece to the faith! There will always be a fine line between the priority of what you get out of faith, and what you are to The Faith. So its fair to add that we may not always get something, and it may never achieve the entertainment value that you expect... But The Faith teaches that we are here to love and serve God , not be served by him. (Not a very American concept is it?)

As VITAL as you are, we also need your VITALITY! Like verve and vigor, your VITALITY brings an energy and liveliness to “US” that “WE” desperately need. Without the dictionary beside me, I will go ahead and define VITALITY as the embracing of the VITAL nature of it all, and showing it in your everyday actions. I would challenge “US” to always keep focused on the nature of faith, while allowing the specifics to change as God wills. To bring a sense of VITALITY means that “WE” are always excited about the potential of what God is doing through “US”, the Church.

If “WE” see ourselves as VITAL to “the other guy”, and “WE” also share a sense of VITALITY with that “other guy”, then the Holy Spirit is flowing at maximum capacity!