Props and Supports

When we teach our young children to ride a bicycle we have either bought them something with 3 wheels to learn the motion of pedalling or have got them a bicycle with stabilisers to stop them from falling off and maybe injuring themselves.  When they grow up and get used to cycling, they won’t need that support and they will be free to cycle without fear or losing their balance.  It is a natural progression to want to be independent.  It’s a new adventure to go it alone.  At the other end of the scale as we grow more elderly we may need to use a walking stick or Zimmer frames to assist in walking.  Life in general is full of support mechanisms and groups that we find useful and often necessary to cope with life. 

Often the argument in favour of an organised Church is just that – that it provides a whole range of props and supports for our children and those new in the faith to help them walk the new path without stumbling.  Sadly what can happen is that the support mechanism becomes the actual way of doing things for all, even when they should have grown up.  Certain props in some denominations would be called idols in another.  We think of idols as statues and icons and associate them mainly with Roman Catholicism or Orthodox religions.  But an idol is anything that takes the place of the supremacy of God.  We begin a project and if we are not careful the project, which should be a means to fulfilling God’s work, becomes the end in itself.  We can get so caught up in the organising and making rules for ourselves that the original movement of God that inspired us soon becomes the tradition that must be kept going at all costs – after all this is God’s work.  The structures and supports take on a life of their own and many feel that such customs and ways of doing things are indispensable for a successful and spirit-filled walk with God.  Things that have been useful to our walk and connection with God can so easily become the focus of our attention – a legalistic approach to things like tithing, Sunday observance, daily devotional, the Bible itself, the need to be involved in organised activities within the denominational set-up etc.  They might all be good and useful but have taken on a role that is more important than is due to them – the usefulness has become the necessary tradition that we must conform to.  It has become the end in itself instead of being a means to the end of connecting with God one-to-one.

 

I was chatting with a friend the other day about how our walk with God is enriched when we can become more spontaneous and just listen to what He is saying directly to us without necessarily this being an integral part of the organised set-up of Church.  It is an adventure with God that is exciting but a bit scary as we don’t always know what to expect.  But without this it wouldn’t be an adventure – we would be comfortable to stay in a safe place and not venture further.  It’s a bit like taking away the stabilisers from our bikes and feeling the freedom to venture a bit further than we dared before.  Trying to be a little more detached from the organised construct of Church is a bit like that and it’s as though God is taking away the safety supports one at a time, layer by layer until we learn to ‘go it alone’ with Him our loving parent keeping a watchful eye on us so we don’t fall.  In an adventure the unforeseen often happens and we have to learn another way of coping; the safe organisation is no longer there.  We need to get to the heart of the matter – God Himself and nothing else.  I am reminded of Matt Redman’s lovely song –

When the music fades
All is stripped away,
and I simply come … …

I'll bring You more than a song, for a song in itself
Is not what You have required
You search much deeper within through the way things appear
You're looking into my heart

I'm coming back to the heart of worship
And it's all about You, all about You, Jesus
I'm sorry, Lord, for the thing I've made it
When it's all about You, all about You, Jesus

How often we prefer the security of the safety props and so remain spiritual infants.  Maybe it’s time for us to grow up and leave off the stabilisers and enjoy the adventure with God.