Maybe it's just my imagination...

     ...but doesn't the world seem to get crazier by the minute?  I feel that way on some days in my life.  It's not just because I'm feeling off or that I haven't had my coffee yet.  There is more to it than that.  Things seem backwards and upside down and so silent that it hurts my ears.  Sometimes in my world I feel like it's raining in my soul.  Ever feel that way?  What can be done about this and why am I not doing it?  No, this isn't my journal entry for the day.  This is all about the Christian life and what to make of the idiosyncrasies that take place there.  The Christian today, as in the days of the first church, are looking for something.  That "something" sometimes cannot or evades being defined.  It's kind of like trying to understand the statement from someone that they hear a "noise" coming from your car or house and you can't hear it.  Is it real?  Are they hallucinating?  Are you in denial?  Maybe you need to have your hearing checked.  When I say to my dog Henry, "Did you hear that?!" in an intense voice, he jumps to his feet, runs to the patio door and looks out at what he knows he must have missed.  Okay, it's a dirty trick.  It's still fun to watch!  That's how the imagination works.  We are triggered, we react and then we think.  Just the opposite of what we should do.
     What we should do is be centered on Jesus in the first place so the times that we have thoughts or feelings triggered are in response to the Holy Spirit instead of the refrigerator humming.  Instead of the focus on our world and what may go wrong (some things will go wrong) what if we focused on Jesus and what may go right?  What if you and I entered into an agreement right now that we have not relinquished our lives to God as he wants us to?  That would be true about me.  Since we are all sinners saved by the grace of God (if you are a believer) then this isn't rocket science.  We are no longer to be governed by "wild imaginings" nor are we to let our hearts be "disturbed" but we are to recline in the grace of God and his peace.  What are "wild imagining's"?  They are the things of this world that defy the logic and person of God.  We are fed imagining's by the parents and people who raised us, by the school system that propagates imagining's and by the media we listen to, engage in and pass on ourselves.  We imagine all that could happen in the worst way, at the worst time and believe that it will come to pass.  We deny the power of God to do otherwise.  We become Eyore.
     Some people take imaginings to the point of conspiracy theory.  There is something or someone out there and they want to do _________.  You fill in the blank.  Our government is doing this or that in secret and they want to _________.  Again, fill in the blank.  Sometimes these things are going on.  We, as Christians, aren't to give up the power of God for the power of imaginings.  FEAR stands for False Evidence Appearing Real.  That is what imaginings bring about in you and I.  The world is shrouded with a cloak of fear of what they cannot see, understand or control.  Wild imaginings strip the power of God from our lives and the lives of those we love.  Don't believe me?  Tell your kids that Santa Claus isn't real.  That's the truth but we'd rather go with the wild imaginings of a fat guy dressed in red flying in a sleigh pulled by reindeer who can fly.  Wild imaginings indeed.  Then take on the tooth fairy and Easter bunny.  Maybe even go so far as to tell someone to seek why they need wild imaginings in their lives at all!  To say that we can change our world and the world around us may be wild imaginings to some.  But, not to Jesus.  With God "all things are possible." 
     Maybe it's just my imagination but did the Holy Spirit speak to you today?  Did you hear that your wild imaginings must stop in order to have His start?  Wouldn't it be wild if everyone you knew loved Jesus!  Wouldn't it be wonderful if there wasn't hunger in the world, orphans had parents and there was no war.  Wild imaginings indeed!  Impossible with man but not only possible but probable for God...through us.  Are you an instrument of His peace or the worlds wild imaginings?