Heart Tracks - Skylight Theology

      I heard a passionate young preacher speak of what he called "mirror theology," and "window theology."  He said the first was the theology that is most prevalent in the American church, a theology that sees itself before it sees anything or anyone else.  Everything is about "me" and all things, people, the church, and God, exist to make "my" life experience, and that of my loved ones, better, complete, and happy.  The second, window theology, was that which focused outwardly, to those in need of Christ, who are suffering, dying, and all without the life of Christ within them.  I liked his points, and don't disagree at all, but I think he missed the "theology" that is most lacking, as well as most needed in the western church today, and that is what I call a "skylight theology," that which looks first and foremost, to Him.  

     Oswald Chambers who established a training school for missionaries, said something that I think is lost on so many of we who sincerely wish to reach a world without Christ.  He said, "The central thing about the Kingdom of Jesus Christ is a personal relationship to Himself, not public usefulness to men."  Jesus said in John 18:36, "My kingdom is not of this world," and we say we know that, but I think we are seeking to bring His Kingdom to the world in our own strength and according to our own understanding.  We may reject the mirror "all about me" theology, that which looks inward, and embrace the window theology, one that gazes outward, but neglect the deepest, most needed, that which looks upward, that fixes its eyes upon Him, and then all that is seen, is seen through kingdom eyes and understanding.  Revelation 4 says that John "Saw a door standing open in heaven,"  and the Fathers voice saying, "Come up here and I will show you what must happen."  Before John could be truly used of Him outwardly, He had to first come up to Him and, as Chambers puts it, "soak in His presence."
     Chambers told his students that they had been placed in his school to "soak before God."  He said that to fail in this was to invite failure in their lives, that they would break under the strain, no matter how noble or good their desires.  So it is with you and I.  We must renounce our obsession with the mirror theology, and our eyes must be opened to the deep spiritual need that is all around us, but before any of that can happen, we too, like John, must "see" the door He has opened unto us of the very throne room of God.  We must hear and obey His voice as He call us upward, to Himself.  Only this will break the power that mirror theology has over us, over the church, and only this will empower us to take His life and ministry to all those we see outside the window.  The "skylight" is always above us, but we will only see through it to Him if we look up.  So.....look up, and soak in His Presence.

Blessings,
Pastor O