Day 11 - Shift Happens

But many of the older priests and Levites and family heads, who had seen the former temple, wept aloud when they saw the foundation of this temple being laid, while many others shouted for joy. Ezra 3:12

Suddenly the whole church world is talking about a "shift" coming to the body of Christ.  But, as this dialogue goes on, it is beginning to look as though the thing is being misconceived.  This "shift" may be confusing matters more than clarifying them, and it is leading us off in unhelpful directions. In the first place, to properly frame the issue one must be careful not to lump together different issues that are not especially related. What we call “the shift” is caused by two different groups.

One the one hand, there are the "sage saints".  Those of us who remember the good old days.  A time when all you had to do was show someone in the Bible what God said and the issue was settled.  We recall a time when the Word of God and the House of God were held in high regard by all.  A time when both the pulpit and the pew were full of Holy Ghost power.  We remember a time when the fear of God was on the community and even sinners respected the things of God.  Yes, we who remember the “good ole days” look at the modern church with a broken heart and long for the things that have passed.

One the other hand, there is an even larger group of people called the "new kids on the block".  Those of us who possess no knowledge of the "good ole days" or the power demonstrated then.  All we know is that when we were weak and wicked, Christ died for the ungodly and we have been justified by faith.  We can not remember the old days but we can see a new day of opportunity and we are embracing it wholeheartedly.  (to be continued)


Prayer
Father, I thank you for what was and for what is, but most of all I thank you for what shall be, Amen.

Go Deeper
1 Kings 8:8-13; 2 Chron. 5:13-14; 7:1-3; Ecclesiastes 7:8; Haggai 2:1-9; Zechariah 4:10; Luke 17:20-21