completion |kəmˈpliːʃn| noun [ mass noun ] the action or process of completing or finishing something: funds for the completion of the new building.• the state of being finished: work on the new golf course is nearing completion | [ as modifier ] :  the completion date is early next year.• Brit. the final stage in the sale of a property, at which point it legally changes ownership: the risk stays with the seller until completion.

What makes us think that opportunities will unlimited be available. Why do we think that life is a full circle repeating of things that when we missed it, will be available again. Since when is our Christian life a merry-go-round?

The answer to this for me is that the church by now became the “Church of Christianity” instead of the “Church of Christ”! Since we own the “church”, we have made it into this ongoing repetition of traditions, doctrines and an even idolising culture!

From the moment we “own” things, we have the tendency to control it. When parents start owning their children, the controlling part is obvious in the upbringing. When pastors start owning their church, the “like it or leave” culture is easily created. Doctrines become strongholds and in the end they become separating labels (names, streams) like Pentecostals, Evangelicals, Baptists and many, many more!

I was reading this morning Jeremiah 23 where God is so confronting to the “owners” of the flock, the shepherds that start to act as if they “own” the sheep!

1 “Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture! ” This is the Lord’s declaration. 2 “Therefore, this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says about the shepherds who shepherd My people: You have scattered My flock, banished them, and have not attended to them. I will attend to you because of your evil acts” — this is the Lord’s declaration. 3 “I will gather the remnant of My flock from all the lands where I have banished them, and I will return them to their grazing land. They will become fruitful and numerous. 4 I will raise up shepherds over them who will shepherd them. They will no longer be afraid or dismayed, nor will any be missing.” This is the Lord’s declaration.

Destroy as the opposite will be to build, aid, assist, bear, begin, construct, create, fix, give birth, help, lose, mend, repair, start, improve, keep, preserve, retain, save, validate, restore.

Scatter as the opposite will be collect, gather, hold, keep, maintain, retain, accumulate, combine, join, receive, save, unite.

Not attended as the opposite will be, be present, go to, be there, grace with your presence, join, show up, visit, catch, make an appearance.

The devastating result of the neglecting attitude of those shepherds results in a people, (even) a church, a nation and families that are scattered and destroyed in their original design of belonging!

But, the Lord gave us a promise, a promise of gathering, returning, fruitfulness and numerous! A promise of raising shepherds with the heart of servanthood, knowing that this is not about owning or doctrines or separating opinions but of becoming One is the beauty of diversity, of completion!

For me, Completion is the word of this Age, this momentum of the remnant, where we first become so content with our own identity, that we start to long for the completion, the becoming one with those who carry a different, other, sometimes even opposite identity! Not gathering with like-thinking, but embracing the fullness.  The beauty and strength of this Age is that we just long, passionate long to get together, to acknowledge each others completing identity! When we become member of His family, member of a body, we know that we will suffer if one of the members is missing!

Experiencing the hinder of a hernia almost daily, I have learned that my hips suffer because of a surviving attitude in my lifting, my walking or even my laying down. With grace I carry this shortness, and even with love I receive the daily message of the lack: Oh, that my hips will be released through the healing of my back! Until then, I gladly take this daily reminder with me! Like Paul I understand the Grace…

So as shepherds have been scattering us through their dividing opinions, not making room for the fullness of the body, the time is here upon us now that we first are One, and from being One, we are Complete in our Diversity!

Closing with this picture twittered by Lance Wallnau, it more or less pictures what I believe is going to happen! When we allow the Holy Spirit to adjust our thinking, which means empty us COMPLETELY from every doctrine, opinion and mindset, and becoming so empty from self, that we will be able to receive what is about to happen NEXT! COMPLETION!

So much more to write, but let’s process this together! Let me know!