Last night at our High School gathering we did a photo scavenger hunt. One of my biggest problems with scavenger hunts, especially photo scavenger hunts, is figuring out who actually finished first! So we had each of our teams upload their pictures to twitter and mentioned our youth group (@MVPC_SeniorHigh) in their tweet. This way we got to see where the teams were, how they were creatively solving the puzzles, and ultimately, we got to see community forming and shaping in REAL TIME! Here are a few shots from last night’s Twitter-sphere Scav. Hunt.
- “CHEESE!!!”
- Team meeting in Dave’s Office
- Making landline phone call!
What struck me when I saw all these pictures, posts, and tweets show up on our newsfeed was that REAL TIME COMMUNITY is was Jesus not only came to redefine but to recreate for us! When we see Adam and Eve in the Garden we see them totally in sync with each other and with God. Unashamed and fully present. Yet as the familiar story goes, we broke our real time connection. Now ashamed and fully distracted.
Regardless of whether we’re talking about the year 2012, 1912, or just 12, we are naturally disconnected with each other because we are a people disconnected from God. We often miss what God is calling us to and where Jesus is leading because we as Christian communities neglect to “login” to our real time connection, the Holy Spirit.
When I read through the book of Acts I read of people who have prophetic callings, visions of the needs of other communities, and a collective boldness. They are experiencing the Kingdom of God in real time. Often I find myself recognizing the Kingdom of God only after reflecting on past events, after scrolling through the “newsfeed” of my day. Wishing that I had been “there” or noticed “that” while God was in the midst of acting or unveiling his presence, work, and/or power.
Jesus lived life in Real Time because he was the New Adam. Unashamed and fully Present to humanity and divinity. He came so to reestablish our connection through his death and leave us with the Holy Spirit so that we may experience the Kingdom in Real Time with the people of God. When were are living in Real Time (unashamed & fully present) we are connected to the fullness of God (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) and are able to celebrate, share, and create a buzz that draws people to Jesus, our reconnecter, Savior, Messiah.
I want to be a person who intentionally, purposefully, and diligently seeks to see and live out the Kingdom of Heaven in Real Time in connection with the People of God through the unity, power, and boldness of the Holy Spirit. Now that’s something worth #trending!
Uncomfortable Middle 