In Part 1 of this little trilogy, Miss Clare (George MacDonald, two posts ago) challenged us to look past our own circumstances to the good that our unity, when fully developed, can do.
In Part 2, I shared coming through a powerful storm as God showed me just enough light behind the clouds to know I would endure by following through.
Today we define what Streamside’s true follow-through is.
A good boxer does not aim a punch at his opponent’s nose. If he does, his real knock-out power has already been spent before the glove reaches its target. He learns to see past the nose to the back of the head, so the punch is just beginning when it reaches that nose.
Engineers say that acceleration is where the power is, not velocity.
Some fear that discussion of unity is an attack on denominational church identity. It may seem like that if we are serious about understanding our true mission. But that is not the goal at all. The true goal lies beyond the church; it restores the church.
Miss Clare concludes:
“If all the labor of God was to bring sons into glory, lifting them out of the abyss of evil bondage up to the rock of His pure freedom, the only worthy end of life must be to work in the same direction – to be a fellow worker with God…I never had any theory since then but just to be their friend – to do for them the best I can. When I feel I may, I tell them what has done me good, but I never urge any belief of mine upon their acceptance.”
By “belief” Miss Clare refers to denominational dogma. The pure good news of redemption in Jesus is what has “done her good” and what she shares when welcome to do so.
The follow-through of Streamside is befriending the lost in perfect unity and serving them anonymously, what lies beyond just going to church.
In Part 2, I shared coming through a powerful storm as God showed me just enough light behind the clouds to know I would endure by following through.
Today we define what Streamside’s true follow-through is.
A good boxer does not aim a punch at his opponent’s nose. If he does, his real knock-out power has already been spent before the glove reaches its target. He learns to see past the nose to the back of the head, so the punch is just beginning when it reaches that nose.
Engineers say that acceleration is where the power is, not velocity.
Some fear that discussion of unity is an attack on denominational church identity. It may seem like that if we are serious about understanding our true mission. But that is not the goal at all. The true goal lies beyond the church; it restores the church.
Miss Clare concludes:
“If all the labor of God was to bring sons into glory, lifting them out of the abyss of evil bondage up to the rock of His pure freedom, the only worthy end of life must be to work in the same direction – to be a fellow worker with God…I never had any theory since then but just to be their friend – to do for them the best I can. When I feel I may, I tell them what has done me good, but I never urge any belief of mine upon their acceptance.”
By “belief” Miss Clare refers to denominational dogma. The pure good news of redemption in Jesus is what has “done her good” and what she shares when welcome to do so.
The follow-through of Streamside is befriending the lost in perfect unity and serving them anonymously, what lies beyond just going to church.
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