imagine .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. `` `` `` `` `` `` ``

imagine you're hit by a bullet ..
try to bring your imagination to bear enough to bring yourself to seeing you being hit by a bullet
try

............................................................................................................

can you ?
even a hint of it ?
as if you were standing there knowing you were going to be shot ..
try it

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anything ??

if you were able to generate some kind of feeling about it, even if you know it wasn't like the real thing, it was a poor imagining ..
even if
take that same effort and imagine there is a God
a God that lives and moves and has being
a God in whom we live and move and have our being

try
as if God was standing there looking at you
this is God

imagine it

and you are face to face with God
what do you imagine God to be like ?
with what words would you describe ..
" God is .. "
not what God looks like, but what is God like
to you

and after you've tried to look into the face of God
what do you imagine you would say
to God ?

what indeed ..

i need no other argument, i need no other plea; it is sufficient - Jesus died, and he died for me
[ an old hymn, adapted ]

i stand there
i can only stand there
there is no other place to stand if i would look God in the face, for this Jesus is the Way
i stand there
i have no defense other than this
i am his brother, he is my advocate before all accusers, and there is none better because he's been the distance
he has arrived

where are you ?

you looking to the tele preacherboys ?
listening to them ?
you looking to your church ?
your pastor ?
your christianity ?
your theology ?
your ministry ?
your calling ?
your history ?

look no further, friend
those things are not the last Word on anything
there is one Word only that matters
and he sits at God's right hand right now

there's where my faith is
my hope
my love
my life

i follow that man
and him alone

Jesus is my master
the only one to whom i account
and the day he looks me in the eye i want to have a clear conscience
clean
i love him for what he has undertaken and undergone for me and for us and for all humanity
i owe him everything
and he is right there with God
now
God's commander in chief
king of kings and lord of lords
the IAM
the IAMWHOIAM
Jehovah himself
Yahweh
Messiah
that's the one i follow
you can tell who he is - he has a nail scar on each hand and one incredible smile
and he's looking me straight in the heart
in love with me

how could i ever ever not
i owe him everything

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imagine ..
just try
maybe God's standing there waiting for you to approach
maybe God's been trying to get your attention

maybe it's time for you to get real

maybe it's time to stop playing christian
stop playing church
stop playing hymns
stop playing prayer
stop playing

God isn't playing
Jesus is not playing
they're real

imagine ..

then do something