Better than Advertised

So I came up with this while contemplating some of the various things that get modified for mass marketing and consumption, and wondered...well, you'll see.

I watch a movie
That’s adapted from a book I’ve read
And think to myself,
“They left out the best parts!”

I listen to the radio
And hear a song from an album I own
And think to myself,
“This version loses the original impact of the song!”

I hear people talk about God
The same God I’ve read about in the Bible
And think to myself,
“How did they get this image of Him?”

Lord, how do we prevent this?
How can we help to present You more accurately?
Help us, oh God, to be true to Your Word
When we talk about You to others.

I suppose it comes down to a single concept;
A simple but powerful question comes to mind
Are we,
As a nation,
As a continent,
As a people;
Are we willing to go beyond what we hear about You from others
And go straight to the Source?

Will we read Your Word
Will we meditate on it day and night
Will we talk about it with our neighbor
When we get up in the morning and when we turn in for the evening?

Actually, the first question
Naturally leads to a second question:
Will we,
As believers,
As followers,
As Christians,
Will we go beyond the written Word
And have a life that speaks Your name?

Lord, these questions are dangerous
These queries will not permit us to stay in the safe little boxes
We’ve put ourselves in
And we’ve tried to put You in
But You will not be contained
You will not stay in one spot
And so we need You to open our eyes
Open our ears
Open our hearts
And open (or close) our mouths.
Help us to experience the real You
And know it’s You with every fiber of our being

Lord, this is the kind of thing that will change our lives
But that’s the point.
Let us embrace it with all that we are,
‘Cause it’s far better than we’ve been told.