Gary Rich (16 Sep 2006)
"The Barbarian Call : Untamed faith"


 You cannot meet the Creator of the Universe and remain the same. If the God who is all-powerful , all-knowing and all-present comes to dwell within your soul, you would expect at least some minor disruption. I think there's a problem when people talk about meeting God or knowing God and yet remain unchanged by God. When the Creator chooses to dwell within His creation, there is transformation. If Jesus has come to dwell within you, you are no longer suited for a  normal life
 
To have the Spirit of God dwelling within the heart of someone who chooses a domesticated faith is like having a tiger trapped within a cage. You are the recipent of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who cannot be tamed and of a faith that must not be tamed. You are no longer a prisoner of time and space, but a citizen of the Kingdom of God, and a resident of the Barbarian Tribe. When you finally chose to join the Barbarian Tribe, you begin to live your life with your eyes and your heart wide open. When the Spirit of God envelops your soul, your spirit comes alive, and everything changes for you. You are no longer the same. You are living your life completely for Jesus Christ, and His eternal Glory. And those around you who see you living a totally sold out life to Christ, see the path you chose, the life you live, may lead them to conclude that you are not simply different but insane. Followers of Jesus Christ who are fully alive look out of their minds to those who jus! t simply exist
 
The civilized Christian build shelters and invite God to stay with them, Barbarian Christians move with God where-ever He chooses to go. The civilized Christian has a routine, the Barbarian Christian has a mission. The civilized love tradition, the Barbarian loves challenges. For the Barbarian - a life in God is one of daily risk and mystery. And maybe even a little insanity. There's no way to escape that Barbarian believers can appear out of their minds. No reasonable person would ever fully follow God everywhere He calls
 
No matter how we try to spin the story, the bible is filled with tribes of irrational people. When Noah built the Ark, he did not live in a flood zone. When Elijah called down fire from heaven, he had never tried it before. David should have left the giant alone, Hosea never should have married a prostitute. What was Moses thinking when he pointed his staff at the Red Sea. These people did not live normal lives. Their actions were irrational if you take God out of the formula to do what they did
 
The very vitality of their lives in God moved them beyond the practicality of simple being reasonable. Their lives didn't make sense. Anyone who ever risks listening to God and following His voice knows that to everyone who is deaf to His voice, your actions will seem as if you've gone crazy. We are not created to be normal, but deep followers of Jesus Christ. Enter into God's presence, let Him unleash the untamed faith within you !!!