Losing our Muchness and Settling

Pop culture is full of cross-cultural and missional truths that are discovered in some rather fun and yet odd places.
Today we will discuss two places of discovery, the movie Alice in Wonderland, and the TV show 30 Rock.

It was interesting how in the span of a week, these two not-so-obvious resources of missional truth spoke to the same issue that I see plaguing the church, a miss-guided view of God's passion that has lead to a deep sense of apathy and settling.

In 30 Rock, Liz Lemon (Tina Fey) was convinced that she had found her her future husband. But, the more they got together, the more they realized that they were polar opposites and not a good fit, not even close.
Upon this realization and as they kept 'accidentally' running into each other, he told Liz: "Fate is telling us this is the best we're ever going to get. We're each other's settling soul-mates." The plague of settling, giving up, becoming numb and losing your soul.

In Alice in Wonderland The Mad Hatter told Alice: You used to be much more…”muchier.” You’ve lost your muchness. (watch video)

Alice, according to the Mad Hatter, was back in Wonderland to slay the Jabberwocky, but decided it was too much for her and she couldn't or wouldn't do it, even tho it was her calling.
She had lost her vision, her passion, her heart....her 'muchness', her will to be in the battle.

So, what does this have to do with being missional, and have we lost our 'muchness' when it comes to seeing God glorified among all peoples, and have we 'settled' into the abyss of the mundane?

John Piper says this: “Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship is. Missions exists because worship doesn’t. Worship is ultimate, not missions, because God is ultimate, not man. When this age is over, and the countless millions of the redeemed fall on their faces before the throne of God, missions will be no more. It is a temporary necessity. But worship abides forever…” -John Piper

Our missional passion to see God glorified, which will drive our choices, flows out of one thing, our worship and view of God. All He does and has done is with a single purpose and passion, His glory among all people. As Alice had lost her 'muchness' to fight evil and do battle with the Jabberwocky, I wondered if I had lost my 'muchness' to be engaged in the fight with Satan over the fame of His name among all nations.

As I look in the mirror of Ps. 96 Ascribe to the LORD, O families of nations, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength. Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; bring an offering and come into his courts. Worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness;tremble before him, all the earth.

I need to ask, how is my worship, my view of God, and how does that drive my passion to see Him known and worshiped by all peoples?

Let's not settle and lose our muchness, but let's pursue God's passion to be known and worshiped by all peoples.



To further help in how to align your passions with the passions of God, click on the cover for a free eBook