Everything is better with God's sunglasses

Everything is prettier with your sunglasses on. The tress look nicer, the roads look nicer, and the sunsets are amazing.

I drove to Knoxville with my friend Matt last night. I wore my sunglasses the entire way and kept pushing them down my nose and back up again to see the differences between "with" and "without". I discovered that, yes, wearing my sunglasses makes everything look happier. That simple fact made me happier, and I decided to leave them on until the sun went down.

We reached the auditorium and found our seats. The air inside was a little chilly, but it was the building energy that was making me move around in my seat. Two thousand people started to find their own seats, and around 7:35pm, the lights started to dim and the service began.

I say "service" because I don't know what else to call it. It certainly did me a service, but maybe the proper term would be "Concert".

Okay, around 7:35pm, the lights started to dim and the concert began.

Chris Tomlin, Matt Redman, and Louie Giglio. Three outstanding men who share an outstanding love and passion for Jesus. With two thousand other people, I got to worship God. I listened to Louie speak about our universe and how large it was...and how small we are. I got to worship God. I raised my hands in the air, I called out to Jesus, I stood up in the middle of a slow song with my arms outstretched while everyone else was sitting and I didn't feel an ounce of judgment or concern...in the middle of two thousand people. I got to worship God.

How great is our God? How great?

We tend to get angry at Him, turn our backs, let the frustrations of our religion take hold, let other people pass judgements on us, let ourselves be concerned with meaningless gossip, and yet...there He is. He didn't wait for us to come to Him and let us decide how we wanted to have Him in our lives. He decided to make the first move. You know what that move was? He decided long ago that He would be patient and slow to anger and loving. For us. All we have to do is believe.

Less religion. More Jesus.

I'm very proud to call myself a Seventh Day Adventist. No amount of conservative leadership, "No Dancing" rules, and judgment passing could make me say otherwise. I know why I believe what I do, and I am honestly proud and have no qualms about calling myself an SDA. My religion isn't perfect, but I think someone would be hard pressed to show me one that is. I understand the rules, and I understand that rules are for a reason. I won't step on that subject much (and for all you SDA readers, I'm sure you understand when I say rules) but I will say this: I am a Seventh Day Adventist who loves Jesus with all of my heart. And hey, if that means that I'll be dancing before the Lord in Heaven...then so be it.

Lately, I've let things bother me. I've let the thoughts and opinions of others bother me, and let their words crawl deep under my skin. Last night, I remembered something I already knew.

What would Jesus do?

Would he let people get under his skin? Would be get angry at them and say that they didn't know what they were talking about? Would he give them the satisfaction of his anger? No way.

I've let other people and their thoughts on Christianity and Seventh Day Aventists ruin a good week. I could have had a much better week if I hadn't become so defensive and just let God lead. He knows my heart, and who cares if anyone else knows it as well?

Last night, I learned something about worship. It doesn't have to be small, it doesn't have to involve a certain religion, it doesn't have to have a certain age group or gender, it just has to come from the heart. When you can stand there with tears running down your face, and/or honestly look to God and say "Here I am, take me Father", then I'd say your worship was amazing. Mine was.

No matter what your style though, just remember that it's about you and Him. Not you, Him, and the rules. Not you, Him, and other people. Just you and God.

Happy Sabbath.