Remove Your Skin

First off, I feel I must apologize for the amazing lack of creative fiction posts as of late. I have been so wrapped up in the amazing surroundings I find myself in that I guess I am starting to uncover inspiration in my conversations and my daily realizations. I promise that I am not forgetting the fiction– I will continue to include it in the future.

~~

If you have read into my previous thoughts, you would have deduced that I am a passionate, yet entirely imperfect lover of Jesus Christ. Now before you begin to roll your eyes while muttering ‘Oh boy, a sermon…’, please allow me to share in your (perhaps) frustrations with the church.

The ‘church’ has been suspected to be a place that sucks the fun out of life and preaches nothing but hell and damnation. It has been viewed (many times incorrectly) as a straight-jacket-like location that demands tradition and rules to ensure you live by the book in every aspect– but let me tell you, I am no more a fan of such tedious and minimalistic views than you. You’re probably wondering why I placed church in quotations? Well, I shall tell you why.

The church should never be a place or building, because really, in the long-and-short of it, what is a building without people to utilize the space inside? Merely four walls and perhaps some fancy lighting and some seats. I placed it in quotations because many (generally from outside of Christianity) have the misconception that the church is the building to which people flock to on Sunday mornings to sing a few songs and fall asleep while some guy talks. This makes me sad.

The church is a group of people, a community if you will of various persons who come together to share about the good and not so good moments of the week. If you haven’t been part of a church or even sat in on one, then it may be slightly more for you to comprehend, but imagine a large group of people who ultimately act as your support group… these people check up on you weekly to get the play-by-play of all the promotions and evictions you experience and offer not only guidance when you feel you really don’t know which highway to take but to pray for you as well.

But one thing that I think drives me absolutely bonkers is the ‘Sunday Best’ ideology. I realize that it is a day that needs to be set apart as a Sabbath (rest, an intermission, a ceasing of labour) and it is largely distinguished by dressing up and all that jazz, but in the church’s past, it has been taken from just a dressing-up-for-church to an absolute must in order to be accepted.

Fortunately, I have found that my church has adapted over the years and now does not turn its nose towards me if I attend in jeans– and this in itself is a blessing. God is so phenomenally colossal in His controlling the heavens and the seas and every individual blade of grass that I don’t think He is going to care much if I attend church in my most profound finery or absolutely stark naked. Of course I won’t not wear clothing (as that in public can lead to awkward questions and feelings), but I believe that He is more concerned about the state of our lives in relation to him than how we present ourselves outwardly.

Knowing that he’s crazy about me no matter what I look like is more of a comfort than anyone associated with me can appreciate. It envelops my very being and alows me to continue to live in him rather than as a part of this oh so messed up world.

It’s also a benefit knowing that people whom I am with in my community shouldn’t regard what I’m wearing as being inappropriate for church– cause ultimately, He doesn’t care! And who says there isn’t freedom in Christ?