complacent christianity

I bought a new CD last week (Casting Crowns -"The Altar and the Door") - and once again God has used music to get my attention.
I've been without Christ - with all the pain of sin, the guilt, the sorrow for my actions, the yearning to be clean again - yet I've really been struck by how complacent I often am in my christianity. I go to worship, teach the children, pray and move right along with the rest of my life. None of this really requires much sacrifice from me in the way of money, time, or talent. After all - I LOVE to sing, I enjoy working with children, I can fit prayer in during the little spaces of my day (driving, cooking, etc.) None of it requires any real risk.
So often I am without the passion of my faith. I want to be a christian but I don't want to be seen as too much of a christian. I don't want to be lost but I don't want to be radical either. The problem with that is - Jesus IS radical. God's plans are radical. He wants radical believers. He wants us to believe that he can and will do the impossible - and he'll do it with us.


The song "Somewhere in the Middle" has really stuck in my mind...the mental pictures I see as I listen to the words are so vivid.

So in case you haven't heard the song here it is:

"Somewhere between the hot and the cold. Somewhere between the new and the old. Somewhere between who I am and who I used to be. Somewhere in the middle you'll find me.

Somewhere between the wrong and the right. Somewhere between the darkness and the light. Somewhere between who I was and who you're making me. Somewhere in the middle you'll find me.

Fearless warriors in a picket fence, reckless abandon wrapped in common sense, deep water faith - in the shallow end and we are caught in the middle.

With eyes wide open to the differences, the God we want and the God who is, But will we trade our dreams for his? Are we caught in the middle?

Somewhere between my heart and my hands. Somewhere between my faith and my plans. Somewhere between the safety of the boat and crashing waves. Somewhere between a whisper and a roar. Somewhere between the altar and the door. Somewhere between contented peace and always wanting more. Somewhere in the middle you'll find me.

Just how close can I get, Lord, to my surrender without losing all control. Lord, I feel You in this place and I know you're by my side. Loving me even on these nightswhen I'm caught in the middle."