Spell check? Upgrade? Transformation?

What hope do we bring to Jesus?

Critical question, this one.  What do we come to Jesus seeking?  In an active spiritual life, this question shifts over time and in view of circumstances.  At first our relationship might be no more than a 'vending machine' God:  send up your prayer and God dispenses the requested blessing.  As our lives get more complicated, it makes sense that our relationship with God becomes more complicated.  We ask harder questions.  We question the glib answers that folks throw around.  Any amount of time spent reading the Bible deeply will raise more questions than it will answer.  Over time we realize that the life of faith is a long journey and impacts the entirety of our day to day lives.

Perhaps if we look at three possible approaches to our Lord, you will be able to identify some of the ways we approach our relationship with Jesus. The Spirit is always calling us to go deeper, to love more, to live more generously, to forgive freely.  We tend to grow a little here (say in forgiving others) but our view of living generously lags behind.  Yet the Spirit is always calling.

Here are three (totally random) categories of 'life with Jesus.' I've been inspired by my computer.

Spell check.  We know how that wonderful program on our computers reminds us how to spell stuff we've forgotten and cleans up our typing so (most of the time) we get a coherent result.  In our faith life, when we only want a Spell Check relationship,  we simply turn to Jesus to take away the annoying even painful hindrances to our lives.  Make it a little easier.  Ease up on the problems. Keep us from suffering, make our marriage last, be sure Jenny gets on the varsity soccer team.   After that, Jesus, I'm fine and can manage on my own.

Upgrade.  Our faith life is a little sluggish; we're aware that there are problems whenever certain operations are attempted (not so good at helping the homeless; better at feeding the hungry).  So we look to Jesus to upgrade us to a newer version of 'Christian living.'  Make us a little kinder to our difficult relatives, a bit more compassionate so we don't feel so awkward at funerals.

Then there is transformation.  To empty out all the old files and re-boot with fully functional versions of all the operations God's grace filled kingdom includes.  Keep deleting the old files until they are purged.  Keep upgrading the working parts so they align with the work the Spirit is calling us to.  Cast out all magical thinking and fill me with the assurance of your presence, your acceptance and your love.  Shape me into your servant, please.

The Spirit is calling us into a transformed life; Jesus through his death and resurrection makes the transformed life possible.  God the Creator seeks transformation for all of creation.  No wonder it takes a lifetime of prayer to live fully into God's kingdom.  Keep on praying, my friends.