Middleness

It seems to me like one big struggle in Christian life is not to settle into middleness. Compromised comfortable nothingness. Like a motel set up on the path into the wilderness we stop travelling on and settle down. Comfortable that we are not where we once were, but so far short of where we could/should be. We can testify to knowing the Holy Spirit, but people around us cannot really see any difference in our lives, it's like subscribing to a cook book club but never getting around to making or tasting what we read about.

Casting Crowns sing a song called “Somewhere in the middle” which has inspired me about middleness. Phrases like “deep water faith in the shallow end” so sum up where I often find myself. I get inspired by God and long for the reckless faith that will risk all for God, but I also want the safety of familiar surroundings and trusted boundaries.

The story “The King of the Land in the Middle” talks about a country where everything was “in the middle”, where there were no extremes- either for good or for bad. The story starts when the king of the land has hot coffee for the very first time, and by the end of the story the people start to take risks and experience the extremes of life- the deepest. sorrows as well as the highest joys.

That's one of the things about middleness- you might set out to protect yourself from the things that hurt, but you also end up missing out on the best things of life. Life is only full when lived to both extremes.

Last night in the meeting we were provoked about our recent experiences of the Holy Spirit. We say we are a Holy Spirit filled people, but our testimonies to the Spirit moving are 5 or 10 or 15 years ago! We were challenged whether we are ready for the Holy Spirit to do something amazing now.
This was good timing for me 'cos I have been feeling spiritually hungry again recently. I was writing a list on Friday of 5 things I want to do before I am 40 (which is only 6 years away). This will of course mean getting started on them right away!

This is a scripture that make sense of what I have been trying to say: Paul talks about taking hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.
That means not failing to achieve the potential God had put in you and the Holy Spirit has inspired in you. It means not giving up half way and coasting from average middle age to bored old-age.

Another scripture talks about a householder who can bring old and new stuff out of the storehouse. In practice this means having fresh new living experiences of faith and Holy Spirit life, as well as the foundation stuff from years ago.

There is also the scary one from Revelation about being lukewarm and spewed out of God's mouth. That's the thing really... "middleness" is just another word for "lukewarm". Though it is nice and comfortable it is a dangerous place to be- a bit like a frog in a pan of water that is being slowly boiled alive.