small group, big power

I just left a small group, my first with New Hope Community Church, and it was amazing. Not amazing because of worship or feeling or deepness of theology, but of simplicity and reality. We sat and ate pizza and cake. We listened to a praise DVD, and though no one spontaniously busted out into song, there was worship. We talked about how a small group worked, and about trials in our lives. Again, no one confessed to some deep, dark sin, but the seeds of accountability were there. We talked about the Bible, and I was reminded that theology need not have the words systematic, Calvin, soverignty, or Edwards associated with it for it to be covered in the widsom of God.

No, this was different. This was the God of the trenches, where people hurt and struggle and fall, yet are still there, holding onto grace. These people probably wouldn't know what terms like predestination or postmodernism mean, yet they live daily with sword in hand, fighting side by side with Jesus for their lives. Hearing a man praise his wife, even though they have marital problems, is beautiful. Seeing a woman who obviously is going through a horrible storm work through the peace of God is beautiful. Seeing a man who was once a drug addict do ministry to these people as a pastor (a wonderful one at that) is beautiful. I am conviced more and more daily that the God we serve is not a clean, polished, glowing thing in the sky, but is a Jesus who resembles a construction worker after a day of heavy labor - dirty, with tired eyes and blistered hands, hungry and cold, yet knowing that the only thing he wants to do in the morning is to get up and do it again. That is the picture of the God I want to follow.