What leads you?

One of the things I'm trying to deal with is my response to Manchester United.  Call it a bit silly, but when they play I can't just sit there.  If I'm with people who are sympathetic to my plight, we head every ball, call every foul and go insane when they score.  On more than one occasion I have been in company that just don't get it.  In that scenario I find my muscles still twitching and my leg will occasionally try to kick the ball even though it has absolutely no affect on the game.  The reason for this is to do with cognitive action / mirror neurons blah blah blah.

A different sort of thing I do is regularly use a cross trainer.  This involves actions that have to be fully guided by myself, an elliptical bike scenario with corresponding handles to exercise.  This involves some balance and while I can switch off, it is purposed from me myself.  Recently while on the cross trainer in the morning I was trying to catch the England game on the screen on the cross-trainer.  Because this is Australia it was shown a little later than the ridiculous time it aired for us. Because of the purposed action of the cross trainer and the cognitive response to watching the game I both operated the cross trainer AND responded to the comings and goings of the game.  I came to this conclusion:

NEVER WATCH SOCCER WHILE ON A CROSS TRAINER...YOU LOOK RIDICULOUS.

Its also quite dangerous.  When we go to church we either take our cues and directions from outside, like watching a soccer game. We respond according to how we are directed by the unfolding situation of our church.  Some good gets done but I don't see an outside element directing you as your purpose.  You didn't get saved to be directed by man but to be directed by Christ.

We need to be more like the cross trainer where the energy, balance and rhythm comes from us and we have to maintain it.  Obviously I mean that the impetus for our works are coming from God.  Then we can see 'His Kingdom come and his will be done.' As it stands many feel it is the leadership that are there to create a spiritual response in a believers life.  Others flee those type of structures and begin learning how to cross-train. That is, learn how to walk under the sole direction of the Lord. Of course leadership is there, but not to drive a response, more to facilitate the journey of the Spirit-directed believer.

It just so happens 'cross-train' is precisely what the Lord wants us to do.  My experience coming out of church leadership structures was similar to trying to not respond to Manchester United. There's a danger both can become wrongly placed in life and become an idol.  That which we put ourselves under becomes our Master.  So long Manchester United you won't be driving me anymo... GOOOOAAAAAALLLLL !!

Gary Ward