Dumb Luck? Really?

I looked over the group in the room. There was a lot of pain there: poverty, addiction, multiple failed marriages, a couple of children born without an intact family. I pondered the why of those lives so marred with pain and sadness. Could it just be fate?  While I surely cannot know all the factors, I did know that the people had made some poor choices that were collecting a terrible toll on life's highway! At the very same time, I also realized that many of those who had chosen so poorly, had not enjoyed the blessing of a stable and loving home or solid, authentic spiritual training! 

Only God knows the full set of facts, seeing our lives in a context that begins before our birth. But, I also know that in Christ we can become new, the old slavery to sin broken by the arrival of the Spirit. Real and lasting transformation is possible for anyone who is willing to receive God's grace, accept responsibility, and make the choice for change.

The best life that God offers to us will not simply happen to us. We choose it with obedience- today, again tomorrow, and the day after that. Joshua, the wise old leader of Israel, called God's people together as he approached the end of his life and challenged them to 'choose today which god you will serve ... as for me and my house we will serve the Lord!'  Disciple, do not be passive!  We are not fatalists, we cannot just hope for a new destiny. 

 

However, the balancing truth is that there are situations beyond our control. The only choice is to trust - to actively surrender ourselves to the hand of God. The Word calls us equally to responsibility and trust, to acceptance and effort. "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts... and be thankful." (Colossians 3:15, NIV)  Where we read 'rule,' the original text has a word that includes the meaning of referee who makes the call in a contest. Players who compete well respect the call of the ref! We live best when we allow God to make the call!  When the Spirit whispers a corrective word how will we respond?  When He urges us to a specific course of action, will we obey?

Do remember this! Nobody gets it right all the time. Even with the best of intentions, we do not always hear His voice clearly. None other than Paul, the apostle, had some difficulty sorting out the will of the Spirit. "Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." After Paul had seen the vision, we (Luke, the writer of Acts had joined Paul there) got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them." (Acts 16:6-10, NIV)  There was some trial and error before they got it right!

Is your true heart's desire to know and please the Lord? Are you living honestly before Him?  The prophet Hosea heard the voice of the Lord, speaking to sinful Israel. He called for change. "I said, 'Plant the good seeds of righteousness, and you will harvest a crop of my love. Plow up the hard ground of your hearts, for now is the time to seek the Lord, that he may come and shower righteousness upon you.'" (Hosea 10:12, NLT)

How about it?

Are you ready to choose for change that leads to the blessings of our God in your life?

Here's a word from the Word. "Don't be misled-you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. So let's not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don't give up. Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone-especially to those in the family of faith." (Galatians 6:7-10, NLT)

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Take Time To Be Holy

Take time to be holy,

Speak oft with thy Lord.

Abide in Him always,

And feed on His Word.

Make friends with God's children,

Help those who are weak,

Forgetting in nothing

His blessing to seek.

Take time to be holy,

The world rushes on.

Spend much time in secret,

With Jesus alone.

By looking to Jesus,

Like Him thou shalt be.

Thy friends in thy conduct

His likeness shall see.

Take time to be holy,

Let Him be thy Guide.

And run not before Him

Whatever betide.

In joy or in sorrow

Still follow thy Lord,

And looking to Jesus,

Still trust in His Word.

George Coles Stebbins | William Dunn Longstaff

? Words: Public Domain