Flickr.com – Wicker Paradise
Ever heard of “glamping?” Glamping is one of the top travel trends of 2018. Glamping is short for “glamorous camping”. Travelers are hungering for being outside in nature and participating in an immersive experience, but they don’t want to sacrifice their accustomed luxuries. Glamping is all about maintaining your comfort without missing out on the experience. I know this sounds very similar to what people have been doing in RVs for decades, but glamping is generally more primitive, typically involving a nice luxury tent and everything being provided by the host company.
When I heard about glamping, I thought how this trend is a fitting representation of the mindset of our culture today. We want the experience without the effort. We want gourmet meals without going to the hard work of cooking them. We want to lose 30 pounds through taking a pill rather than enduring exercise and dieting.
This attitude of wanting the experience without sacrificing the comfort carries directly over to our faith. We want to experience God, but don’t want to put the effort into Bible study and prayer. We want the blessings of God, but aren’t willing to be dedicated to regular worship. We want a relationship with God, but we want it to be comfortable and on our terms. We want happiness without holiness. We don’t want to sacrifice our favorite sins or be asked to serve too much for the church. We want “glamorous Christianity.” A Christianity that doesn’t ask us to give too much, love too much, or serve too much. We don’t want to be pushed out of our “comfort-zones.” This “glamorous Christianity” involves being quick to leave faith in God when we are suffering and feel our prayers are not answered.
Christ didn’t die for “glamorous Christianity.” He died on a cross! His call to the world shatters our comfort, “if anyone would come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me” (Mat. 16:26). Jesus demands first place in our lives (Mat. 6:33, 22:37). Truly nothing happens for God in our lives until we choose to step out on faith. He demands we demonstrate our faith boldly and persistently. Christianity when understood properly is not comfortable, it is challenging, thrilling, and adventurous.
What type of Christianity are you trying to practice?
