Good Not Great

          The words come from Brad Paisley's song about a dying love, a relationship that has seen better days. Distraught by memories of feelings stronger than the ones being felt today, the writer longs for a renewal of what he once knew, a reigniting of a passion he once had. In spite of the fiery romance he once enjoyed (we'll assume it was with his wife ;) ) now he finds himself immersed only in his mind, remembering what was once so glorious, so all-consuming that his life seemingly revolved around it.

          We're left to wonder what path led him here, and how long he has been feeling this, but the important thing is that he has reached that pivotal point in the road. The point where he can either deny that anything is wrong... or admit that there is and do something about it. And this phrase captures perfectly the decision he makes.

     

"Now we keep saying that we're OK   

     But I don't want to settle for good not great

     I miss the way that it felt back then I wanna feel that way again"

          Settling for good not great... those words, along with other things I have encountered in my life lately, have me thinking about my spiritual walk and wondering how many other Christians are out there who are right where I am. Settling for good in this love relationship with our Creator when we could be having great.

          All through this song Brad keeps rememberang specific occurrences that speak of a deep love, a passionate display of sincere feeling. "Remind me," he says.

"Remember when..."

"Remind me!"

          Remember back when we couldn't stop talking about Him? When we thought about Him all day long, and we couldn't wait to meet with Him again? Do we remember the times when we couldn't sleep until we had spent time with Him? Or when we couldn't get started in the morning until we had gotten our fill of Him? What about when we would get lost in His love, loose track of time and be late for work? Can you please remind me?

          With all of the thinking I have been doing lately about lukewarmness in the Christian church I have been doing a lot of looking into myself. Though it pains me to admit it, I can't say that I like what I see. I would be a conceited liar to try to convince any of you who are reading this that I am being totally consumed by a passionate love affair with my Creator and Keeper. Instead, I am in Brad's place of maintaining a 'good' relationship instead of enjoying a 'great' one.

          But the more that I find myself admitting this truth the more I find myself vehemently able to say that I don't want to settle for 'good not great'. I really do miss the way it felt back then and I really do want to feel that way again. But not settling means getting up and doing something. Settling is sitting down doing nothing. If I don't want to do that, than I must want to do the opposite.

           Quite certainly, there are Christians all across the world, though perhaps especially in the Unites States, who are in the same condition. Let's not stay where we are, people. Don't settle, please. We could be loving passionately, sincerely, instead of loving and wanting just a little. Join me... it's going to be a journey.