“We need a new approach to reality. I’m not into facts. I’m going for something that illuminates us, an ecstatic truth.” - Werner Herzog (director of the movie Rescue Dawn)

I read this quote in an article last week and it stuck with me. I really think Mr. Herzog is on to something here. And I believe it transcends well beyond what he thinks he’s saying. I think it speaks to the problem with the church today and more so, our world.

As Christians, we’ve become so consumed with facts that our reality has become tainted. You can put a group of facts together, but if they’re not complete, then they won’t give the whole picture. We’ve become unable to see the truth anymore. We’ve become a religion of facts and not truth. We must ask ourselves, as a Christian what am I consumed with? Have I lost sight of Jesus in all of this muck of religiosity and traditions. We’ve become a people who are more concerned with being right, rather than simply just being like our Lord and Savior. Jesus didn’t come to prove truth, he simply is Truth. And if we’re following Jesus as we’re supposed to, then what do we have to prove?

Let us seek God for who He is. Let us take this new approach to reality where He is the author and creator. Let us walk away from fitting Him into our own small world and using His Word to prove us right.

When thinking back upon Palm Sunday and Easter, I began to think about Jesus and His views on politics. Christians have long tried to figure out which side he would be on. I read this great quote about “American Jesus” and his beliefs (not sure who said it).

“Several times during the week, I thought about telling my family what’s happened to Jesus in the United States - how he’s been kidnapped by politicians and preachers who decide what he does and doesn’t think. They speak for him, and it doesn’t always make sense. They say Jesus is ‘pro life,’ but he doesn’t seem to have a problem with the death penalty. And he thinks stem cell research - something that would save lives - is no different from murdering babies. They say he’s the embodiment of kindness, love, decency and compassion. But he hates gays, lesbians and Muslims. And he’s not too crazy about Buddhists, Hindus and the rest. Jews? He can put up with them if he has to.”

If you really boil politics down it is simply the pursuit of power and authority. Christ was pretty clear who has the power and authority: God. It’s his authority and power we should concern ourselves with. What happened to “seek ye first the kingdom of heaven…” Do we do that? How many times we use Jesus as a platform for our own agendas.

So it comes to this: is your life driven by an agenda or a calling?

We are called to follow Christ. Anything short of that is an fallible, self-serving agenda. It’s it about ’my way vs. your way’. But what about His way?

All I know is this - He’s less concerned with any of the political issues of the day and more concerned with the state of our hearts. 

 Will politics save our country? Nope. They never will.  Our only hope is prayer and a pursuit of Christ. His way will always lead to the hurting people, not towards picketing or pushing policy. That was his way. Jesus didn’t concern himself with politics, only people.   

Are we a Christian nation? Ha ha. Don’t even get me started on that one…

Expectation and Anticipation (Palm [A])