What is your comfort zone?

.  I don’t know of anyone who doesn’t want to be comfortable.  Whether it is financially, whether it sitting behind a new car during a test drive, whether it is the mattress on your bed, the people you hang around, the couch or the recliner that is positioned just right in front of the television, we seek comfort.  But sometimes due to unforeseen circumstances, and things out of our control, good and bad life changes, among some of the first group of feelings we find ourselves dealing with, is this sense of being uncomfortable.  And the human reaction to being uncomfortable is to seek comfort.  Again, it doesn’t matter if these changes are good or bad, expected or unexpected; we still seek out a new comfort level.  It may be leaving for college, it may be getting married, changing jobs, or moving into a new house.  And it might even be a new worship service, or a new church program, or doing things in a different way. 

 What about the disciples’ comfort zone?  How much of their world had been turned upside down?  Just about everything.  Each week since our Easter celebration we have heard these accounts of their encounters with the risen Lord.  How was their comfort level?  For now no matter what they experienced they knew that the tomb was empty, the Lord had risen; death had been conquered through their Teacher, Savior, and Messiah.  For them the world would now be forever changing, but the one level, the one thing that would remain the same, was their comfort in knowing completely that the tomb was empty.

(From Pastor Randy's Sermon)

From Pamela:  It seems to me that we have an abundance of comfort objects (or activities or substances) that actually decrease our need for understanding NEED for comfort zones.  To be sure, we have developed many patterns for increasing comfort -- think of the ice breakers or team builders at fellowship gatherings -- or the cocktail hour at business conferences.  They are all aimed at softening the raw, uncomfortable edges of unfamiliarity.  

I think about our worship services and the moments when I begin to feel on edge or uncomfortable.  (Chuckle... in another place, I will tell you about mine if you tell me about yours!!)  

Then I remember to remember the Empty Tomb.  I remember to remember that Jesus is with us, wandering around, saying "when you begin to feel uncomfortable, focus on me.  Together, we will see how this all works to help us praise God!"  

So... think about YOUR uncomfort zone.  Be honest about it.  Let Jesus walk with you into the comfort zone.