I overheard an elderly lady say to a Christian radio station asking for her opinion, “There´s too little of Christ in it!” She felt the fancy radio program shadowed Him.  She gave me something to think about.

When I walk into a streamlined, well programmed and stagey church or get together with Christian friends, I often feel the same way.  There may be a some talk about Christ, but His presence is somehow lacking. These are the moments I feel like saying with Mary:  “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.”  (Joh. 20:13).  I adapt her words to the present backslidden state of Christianity.

I should say this with utmost caution.  My words may easily border on plain Pharisaism if uttered in the wrong spirit.  Mary suffered with tears. Oh, may more tears be found with us.  There´s so much verbiage among us, but where is Christ?  Is His presence choked up with pious words?

I was once “straightening out” a brother about a certain doctrine.  I thought I did well.  Suddenly he said, “Where is Christ?”  I never forget that.  I understood that despite my good points I hadn´t been conveying Christ.  His Spirit had been suppressed, and I felt rebuked.  “Be filled with the Spirit”, the Bible says (Eph. 5:18).  What does He fill us with?  Christ!  Often without words.

-jn

22.4.09