John Newton penned the now familiar line - "Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me!" Newton knew the depths of wretchedness. In his youth, he had gone to sea and over time became a captain, but not of noble ships. He plied the slave trade, carrying human cargo from their African homes to lands far away. Those ships were islands of misery and death with sick and suffering humans chained below decks in unimaginable squalor. Over this ugliness, Newton presided until he met Christ and experienced transforming grace, becoming a minister of the Church of England.
Some churches have taken to changing one word - 'wretch' - to 'soul.' I prefer to hold onto the 'wretch' word because it makes God's grace all that more amazing! What is a 'wretch?' My dictionary defines it as 'a deplorably unhappy person of base or despicable character.' No wonder some hymnals are taking the word out of the song. We moderns don't like to think of ourselves as wretched. We don't sin anymore, we just make mistakes. Wrong! Inside of every person lives a wretched sinful nature, which is inherited from Adam, the first in a line of wretches. Paul knew of the wretched state of humanity first hand, too. He spent years pursuing Christians to bring them, with whatever means necessary back to their senses. He even stood at the murder of Stephen, watching him die as stones thrown by hate-filled men pummeled that young saint's body. Then, he too, met Christ and experienced amazing, transforming grace.
Paul never forgot that his sinful nature was ready to make a re-appearance if given the least chance. He wrote, "O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?" (Romans 7:24, NKJV) Then, praise pours from his being at the demise of the wretch and the appearance of the glorious man - "The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does. He acted to set things right in this life of contradictions where I want to serve God with all my heart and mind, but am pulled by the influence of sin to do something totally different. " (Romans 7:25, The Message)
I awakened today with a strange mixture of wonder and revulsion in my heart - the dark outlines of the wretchedness at the edges of my life repulse me, but against that dark backdrop, there is glory all around, for am no longer just a wretch, but a saint saved by grace! I rejoice that the God of the ages, through Christ Jesus, would liberate me from wretchedness, not because of anything good thing I've done, but because He is so good and His grace so amazing.
Have you bowed your heard, and humbled your heart, recognizing your wretchedness? There is no need to remain in that unhappy state.
There is a Savior who gives new hearts and fresh starts to those who receive His amazing grace. He accepts wretchs and work a wonderful renewal of heart, soul, and mind!Yes, you and I will, from time to time, slip back into our wretchedness when we take our eyes off of Jesus. The sinful nature waits to assert the wretch in us.
But we need not wallow in the shame of our sins. Instead, we turn back to our God, and like the lost son, find the open arms of the Waiting Father.
Here's a word from the Word-
"We, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory,
are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory,
which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." (2 Corinthians 3:18, NIV)
Shine brighter as you live in His amazing grace.
_________________________
Something Beautiful
If there ever were dreams
that were lofty and noble,
They were my dreams at the start.
And the hopes for life's best,
Were the hopes that I harbored,
Down deep in my heart.
But my dreams turned to ashes,
My castles all crumbled,
My fortune turned to loss.
So I wrapped it all in the rags of my life,
And laid it at the cross.
Something beautiful, something good;
All my confusion He understood.
All I had to offer Him
Was brokenness and strife,
But He made something beautiful of my life.
© 1971 William J. Gaither, Inc. ARR UBP of Gaither Copyright Management - CCLI License No. 810055
Friday, September 29, 2006
Thursday, September 28, 2006
Praying like you mean it
At a meeting I attended this week, we spent the first hour in politeness. It was like a carefully choreographed dance of formal introductions, following the agenda, shielding ourselves. Then, as we became better acquainted, the room thawed. People expressed themselves; there were little chuckles, side exchanges between people, and smiles. As I work with that group, our effectiveness will continue to grow as we gain more knowledge of one another. The better I know someone, the more honest I am willing to be with them. With Bev, my wife of 31 years, I can drop the polite niceties of conversation and get to the gut level stuff of communication. If I don't like something, I can tell her. If I'm sad or happy, fearful or confident, buoyant or depressed - I can share it with her knowing that she loves me.
When you pray, does God get to see your true heart's feelings or are you very polite and nice?
Philip Yancey, in his most recent book, Prayer, Does It Make Any Difference?, says that his study of Biblical prayer reveals a much different kind of approach to God than is evident in most Sunday morning worship services in our churches or even in our personal prayer lives. He writes, "The church I attend reserves a time in which people in the pews can voice aloud their prayers. Over the years, I have hard hundreds of these prayers and with very few exceptions, the word polite applies. One, however, stand out in my memory because of it's raw emotion. In a clear, but wavering, voice a young woman began with the words, "God, I hated you after the rape! How could you let this happen to me?" The congregation abruptly fell silent; no more rustling of paper, or shifting in their seats. "And I hated the people in the church who tried to comfort me. I didn't want comfort, I wanted revenge. I wanted to hurt back, I thank you God that you didn't give up on me, and neither did some of these people. You kept after me until I came back to you. Now I ask that you heal the scars in my soul." - {Christianity Today, October, 2006, page 101}
As I read the Bible, I find that those who knew God best prayed some very honest prayers, arguing and demanding a response from God. Moses, who was given the arduous task of shaping a slave people into a nation that would be the people of God, grew angry with their constant complaints and rebellion. At one point this man of God was frustrated beyond measure. He went to prayer and said, “Why are you treating me, your servant, so miserably? What did I do to deserve the burden of a people like this? Are they my children? Am I their father? Is that why you have told me to carry them in my arms—like a nurse carries a baby—to the land you swore to give their ancestors? Where am I supposed to get meat for all these people? They keep complaining and saying, ‘Give us meat!’ I can’t carry all these people by myself! The load is far too heavy! I’d rather you killed me than treat me like this. Please spare me this misery!” (Numbers 11:10-15, NLT)
Abraham, when he heard of God's plan to destroy Sodom, prays in a way most of us would find curious at best, and more likely offensive. He starts haggling with God. "Would you spare the city if I can find 50 righteous people in it? How about 40, maybe 30?" “I know I’m trying your patience, Master, but how about for twenty?” “I won’t destroy it for twenty.”" (Genesis 18:31, The Message)
Jesus, in the garden the night before His crucifixion, begged the Father, "Is there another way? Please let this cup pass from me!"
God wants to know us and I am convinced that we do not honor Him by concealing our true feelings and playing nice in prayer! We need to take Jesus' counsel and get alone with God where we can, like Jacob, wrestle with Him! He'll win, but oh, what we'll learn in the process - about ourselves and about Him. He's not intimidated by our hard questions. We only sin if we dismiss God from our lives with an arrogant, "I can do it myself" kind of prayer. There is no sin in asking boldly, in praying honestly, in telling our Lord we're not on the same page, singing from the same hymnal, as He is. Here's the truth - He knows what's hidden in the corners of our mind! When we pray nice and polite prayers the only one being spared the truth is us!
Raw emotions are terrifying, mostly to those of us feeling them. They threaten our sense of control. But, I can say from my own experiences of prayer, when I let go and let myself get angry with God, angry enough to physically tremble, I get up from my face knowing that He's touched me. When I let my sorrow over the sinful and broken lives that I minister to daily turn into a flood of tears while I lay on my face in the sanctuary, I go out with a renewed sense of His comfort. Anyone who saw me or heard me praying in those moments, might well conclude I'd taken leave of my sanity, but God - who knows me better than anyone in the world, loves me through the stormy prayers.
Pray with intensity. Love God by sharing your true heart; with all its sins and grief and joy, with Him. He will love you for it. Here's a word from the Word to meditate on today - "since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." (Hebrews 4:14-16, NIV)
When you pray, does God get to see your true heart's feelings or are you very polite and nice?
Philip Yancey, in his most recent book, Prayer, Does It Make Any Difference?, says that his study of Biblical prayer reveals a much different kind of approach to God than is evident in most Sunday morning worship services in our churches or even in our personal prayer lives. He writes, "The church I attend reserves a time in which people in the pews can voice aloud their prayers. Over the years, I have hard hundreds of these prayers and with very few exceptions, the word polite applies. One, however, stand out in my memory because of it's raw emotion. In a clear, but wavering, voice a young woman began with the words, "God, I hated you after the rape! How could you let this happen to me?" The congregation abruptly fell silent; no more rustling of paper, or shifting in their seats. "And I hated the people in the church who tried to comfort me. I didn't want comfort, I wanted revenge. I wanted to hurt back, I thank you God that you didn't give up on me, and neither did some of these people. You kept after me until I came back to you. Now I ask that you heal the scars in my soul." - {Christianity Today, October, 2006, page 101}
As I read the Bible, I find that those who knew God best prayed some very honest prayers, arguing and demanding a response from God. Moses, who was given the arduous task of shaping a slave people into a nation that would be the people of God, grew angry with their constant complaints and rebellion. At one point this man of God was frustrated beyond measure. He went to prayer and said, “Why are you treating me, your servant, so miserably? What did I do to deserve the burden of a people like this? Are they my children? Am I their father? Is that why you have told me to carry them in my arms—like a nurse carries a baby—to the land you swore to give their ancestors? Where am I supposed to get meat for all these people? They keep complaining and saying, ‘Give us meat!’ I can’t carry all these people by myself! The load is far too heavy! I’d rather you killed me than treat me like this. Please spare me this misery!” (Numbers 11:10-15, NLT)
Abraham, when he heard of God's plan to destroy Sodom, prays in a way most of us would find curious at best, and more likely offensive. He starts haggling with God. "Would you spare the city if I can find 50 righteous people in it? How about 40, maybe 30?" “I know I’m trying your patience, Master, but how about for twenty?” “I won’t destroy it for twenty.”" (Genesis 18:31, The Message)
Jesus, in the garden the night before His crucifixion, begged the Father, "Is there another way? Please let this cup pass from me!"
God wants to know us and I am convinced that we do not honor Him by concealing our true feelings and playing nice in prayer! We need to take Jesus' counsel and get alone with God where we can, like Jacob, wrestle with Him! He'll win, but oh, what we'll learn in the process - about ourselves and about Him. He's not intimidated by our hard questions. We only sin if we dismiss God from our lives with an arrogant, "I can do it myself" kind of prayer. There is no sin in asking boldly, in praying honestly, in telling our Lord we're not on the same page, singing from the same hymnal, as He is. Here's the truth - He knows what's hidden in the corners of our mind! When we pray nice and polite prayers the only one being spared the truth is us!
Raw emotions are terrifying, mostly to those of us feeling them. They threaten our sense of control. But, I can say from my own experiences of prayer, when I let go and let myself get angry with God, angry enough to physically tremble, I get up from my face knowing that He's touched me. When I let my sorrow over the sinful and broken lives that I minister to daily turn into a flood of tears while I lay on my face in the sanctuary, I go out with a renewed sense of His comfort. Anyone who saw me or heard me praying in those moments, might well conclude I'd taken leave of my sanity, but God - who knows me better than anyone in the world, loves me through the stormy prayers.
Pray with intensity. Love God by sharing your true heart; with all its sins and grief and joy, with Him. He will love you for it. Here's a word from the Word to meditate on today - "since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." (Hebrews 4:14-16, NIV)
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
The "Huh?" passages
Reading Numbers for our study group has made me wonder a few times, 'what's that all about?' One of the more strange (at least to my modern mind) passages has to do with suspicion of marital unfaithfulness. In the 5th chapter there is a lengthy passage about the ritual of mixing a foul beverage made of holy water and dust from the Tabernacle floor which the priest compels the wife under suspicion to drink. He then prays a curse of infertility that will only take effect if the woman is guilty. It makes me say, "Huh?" I don't recall ever hearing anybody preach from that passage. For me, at least, it defies broad application to the Christian life and violates the principle of respect for women that is so prominent in the New Testament.
When I come to passages like that I am tempted to just dismiss it as ancient superstition and would, except for two things, I have a high view of the Scripture as the inspired word of God; and the passage begins with this claim, "The Lord said to Moses..." There is a big step between saying, "I just don't get it," and outright rejection of the passage as so much hokum. The fact is that I don't have the same context as the Israelites who received it and thus I do not understand it in a full way the way that they understood that passage. So, I must step back and admit my ignorance of the meaning, give myself room to wonder, and move on to the passages which do speak to my life.
Some people seem to delight in tearing up the Bible because of obscure and difficult passages like that one. Ignoring the beauty of much of the Holy Scripture- the prayers and meditations of the Psalms, the accounts of God's love and provision for His people, the amazing revelations of the grace of God in Jesus Christ - they go to passages like Numbers 5 and say, "That's your Bible?" Yes, I answer, that is a part of my Bible, a part that I honestly admit I do not understand. But I do understand, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16, NLT)
I take seriously the command to "Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." (2 Timothy 2:15, NKJV) That includes the "huh" passages as well as those that yield easily to my mind and that feed me with Truth. I come to the Bible with humility. I cannot assume to be its judge. It judges me! Yet, at the same time, I am not gullible, nor do I give up my mind to simplistic, overly literal methods of interpretation of the Scripture. I remain submitted to the God who gave the Word to us. Based on the whole revelation of the Scripture, I don't plan to start to subject women whose husbands are suspicious of their fidelity to drink a mixture of holy water and church floor dust, but I'm also not going to throw away the Bible as unreliable because there is a chapter here and there that offend my sensibilities.
Are you a student of the whole Bible?
Do you read the words with reverence and love, praying for the Spirit to guide you into all Truth?
"Your word is a lamp that gives light wherever I walk.
Your laws are fair, and I have given my word to respect them all." (Psalm 119:105-106, CEV)
When I come to passages like that I am tempted to just dismiss it as ancient superstition and would, except for two things, I have a high view of the Scripture as the inspired word of God; and the passage begins with this claim, "The Lord said to Moses..." There is a big step between saying, "I just don't get it," and outright rejection of the passage as so much hokum. The fact is that I don't have the same context as the Israelites who received it and thus I do not understand it in a full way the way that they understood that passage. So, I must step back and admit my ignorance of the meaning, give myself room to wonder, and move on to the passages which do speak to my life.
Some people seem to delight in tearing up the Bible because of obscure and difficult passages like that one. Ignoring the beauty of much of the Holy Scripture- the prayers and meditations of the Psalms, the accounts of God's love and provision for His people, the amazing revelations of the grace of God in Jesus Christ - they go to passages like Numbers 5 and say, "That's your Bible?" Yes, I answer, that is a part of my Bible, a part that I honestly admit I do not understand. But I do understand, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16, NLT)
I take seriously the command to "Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." (2 Timothy 2:15, NKJV) That includes the "huh" passages as well as those that yield easily to my mind and that feed me with Truth. I come to the Bible with humility. I cannot assume to be its judge. It judges me! Yet, at the same time, I am not gullible, nor do I give up my mind to simplistic, overly literal methods of interpretation of the Scripture. I remain submitted to the God who gave the Word to us. Based on the whole revelation of the Scripture, I don't plan to start to subject women whose husbands are suspicious of their fidelity to drink a mixture of holy water and church floor dust, but I'm also not going to throw away the Bible as unreliable because there is a chapter here and there that offend my sensibilities.
Are you a student of the whole Bible?
Do you read the words with reverence and love, praying for the Spirit to guide you into all Truth?
"Your word is a lamp that gives light wherever I walk.
Your laws are fair, and I have given my word to respect them all." (Psalm 119:105-106, CEV)
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
Free to be holy!
A Christian man once said to me, "Pastor, I dread the Summer time. Women show so much more skin and lust overtakes me!" I did appreciate his honesty, but also realized he had no idea that he could actually begin a transformational process to change his 'natural' responses. This man had already 'surrendered' to the temptation because he thought that sin is like gravity, uncontrollable and irresistible. He was chained to the sinful nature because he was still thinking like a slave!
Is there something that happens in your life, some way that you sense you are living beneath God's purposes? Temper, greed, dishonesty, selfishness, pornography, abuse of drugs or alcohol, failure to genuinely love other people are just a few things that are the work of the old sinful nature. Will you change? Will serve God well and with holiness today? Maybe you're reluctant to answer because you, like my friend, think that wrong choices are inevitable, like gravity. If you believe that, you are in the grip of a lie! Yes, it is true that the impulses of the sinful nature are powerful. Our old habits are reinforced by long practice, and we are subjected to the pressures of an ungodly world around us. However, we need to know that we sin because we quietly surrender ourselves to do so. In Romans 13:14 we are urged to: "let the Lord Jesus Christ take control of you, and don’t think of ways to indulge your evil desires." The KJV says, "make no provision for the flesh!" One way to grasp that challenge is to restate it like this: "Don't store up food to feed sin so it gets strong. Starve it, instead!"Don't read me wrong today. I am not suggesting that any of us will every reach a place on this earth where we live completely without failure and sin. Wouldn't that be heaven? Yes, matter of fact, it would! And yet while we wait for our final perfection, the Bible calls on us to be: "transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." {2 Corinthians 3:18}
So, how are we transformed to be like Jesus?
The influence of evil and self has been defeated through Jesus Christ. He gave His life on the Cross and was raised from the dead, accomplishing a spiritual work that now makes a holy life possible for all Believers! That is the first fact to accept! Satan maintains his powerful influence over us by lying and illusion. Fear and ignorance provide him a place to do his infernal work. So first, we believe the Truth - that Christ has defeated sin and accept Jesus' proclamation of our freedom from sin's dominance.
Then, we invite the Presence of the Holy Spirit to become our Counselor and Friend, who lead us through situations that provide opportunities for growth. You can trust God in that process. He'll never allow you to be overwhelmed by life. One day and one situation at at time we own Christ's victory and implement new ways to respond to life. We make choices to facilitate His work in us. Note the interplay of personal responsibility and the power of the Spirit that is pointed out in Philippians 2:12-14 -- NIV "Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose." Many Christians with wonderful intentions, keep on failing and falling because they believe in the myth that somewhere they will find an overwhelming, 'life completely changed in an instant' experience. They wander in search of this magical moment from prayer meeting, to wonderful worship service, looking for the ministry of some anointed preacher. Those of us taught in the Pentecostal traditions are particularly vulnerable to this misunderstanding. The Bible does promise us an empowering experience with the Holy Spirit. Baptized by His Presence, we are changed. But, we must never think that our temptations are, once and for all, taken away by His fiery Presence. We cannot become passive, waiting for a moment of deliverance for our passivity, our failure to possess the power of God will cause us to remain slaves to sin. Powerful experiences of the Holy Spirit are valuable as crisis moments in which God points us in a new direction. Lasting transformation happens through sustained spiritual work. It's a process.
Work out your salvation... let God use the ordinary situations of life to shape you, to test you, to deepen your faith in Him. Practice the disciplines - solitude, confession, worship, study, service - that create opportunities for the work of the Spirit to be accomplished.
Grow up in Christ and begin to enjoy the productivity that comes with maturity.
So, are you going to serve God whole-heartedly today? The answer -- Yes, in Christ I am free, and with the power of the Spirit, I am more than a conqueror!
Here's a word from the Word - "Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. If your sinful nature controls your mind, there is death. But if the Holy Spirit controls your mind, there is life and peace." Romans 8:5-6
Is there something that happens in your life, some way that you sense you are living beneath God's purposes? Temper, greed, dishonesty, selfishness, pornography, abuse of drugs or alcohol, failure to genuinely love other people are just a few things that are the work of the old sinful nature. Will you change? Will serve God well and with holiness today? Maybe you're reluctant to answer because you, like my friend, think that wrong choices are inevitable, like gravity. If you believe that, you are in the grip of a lie! Yes, it is true that the impulses of the sinful nature are powerful. Our old habits are reinforced by long practice, and we are subjected to the pressures of an ungodly world around us. However, we need to know that we sin because we quietly surrender ourselves to do so. In Romans 13:14 we are urged to: "let the Lord Jesus Christ take control of you, and don’t think of ways to indulge your evil desires." The KJV says, "make no provision for the flesh!" One way to grasp that challenge is to restate it like this: "Don't store up food to feed sin so it gets strong. Starve it, instead!"Don't read me wrong today. I am not suggesting that any of us will every reach a place on this earth where we live completely without failure and sin. Wouldn't that be heaven? Yes, matter of fact, it would! And yet while we wait for our final perfection, the Bible calls on us to be: "transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." {2 Corinthians 3:18}
So, how are we transformed to be like Jesus?
The influence of evil and self has been defeated through Jesus Christ. He gave His life on the Cross and was raised from the dead, accomplishing a spiritual work that now makes a holy life possible for all Believers! That is the first fact to accept! Satan maintains his powerful influence over us by lying and illusion. Fear and ignorance provide him a place to do his infernal work. So first, we believe the Truth - that Christ has defeated sin and accept Jesus' proclamation of our freedom from sin's dominance.
Then, we invite the Presence of the Holy Spirit to become our Counselor and Friend, who lead us through situations that provide opportunities for growth. You can trust God in that process. He'll never allow you to be overwhelmed by life. One day and one situation at at time we own Christ's victory and implement new ways to respond to life. We make choices to facilitate His work in us. Note the interplay of personal responsibility and the power of the Spirit that is pointed out in Philippians 2:12-14 -- NIV "Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose." Many Christians with wonderful intentions, keep on failing and falling because they believe in the myth that somewhere they will find an overwhelming, 'life completely changed in an instant' experience. They wander in search of this magical moment from prayer meeting, to wonderful worship service, looking for the ministry of some anointed preacher. Those of us taught in the Pentecostal traditions are particularly vulnerable to this misunderstanding. The Bible does promise us an empowering experience with the Holy Spirit. Baptized by His Presence, we are changed. But, we must never think that our temptations are, once and for all, taken away by His fiery Presence. We cannot become passive, waiting for a moment of deliverance for our passivity, our failure to possess the power of God will cause us to remain slaves to sin. Powerful experiences of the Holy Spirit are valuable as crisis moments in which God points us in a new direction. Lasting transformation happens through sustained spiritual work. It's a process.
Work out your salvation... let God use the ordinary situations of life to shape you, to test you, to deepen your faith in Him. Practice the disciplines - solitude, confession, worship, study, service - that create opportunities for the work of the Spirit to be accomplished.
Grow up in Christ and begin to enjoy the productivity that comes with maturity.
So, are you going to serve God whole-heartedly today? The answer -- Yes, in Christ I am free, and with the power of the Spirit, I am more than a conqueror!
Here's a word from the Word - "Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. If your sinful nature controls your mind, there is death. But if the Holy Spirit controls your mind, there is life and peace." Romans 8:5-6
Monday, September 25, 2006
Life's Meaning
I stood on the edge of the little knot of younger men, not really in the conversation, just listening to them talk. They boasted about their golf scores, comparing skills and experiences on this course or that one. They talked about the new Xbox games they played. Of course, there were the comments about their jobs, mostly negative. They were loud, profane, and having a good time. Their enthusiasm for life was infectious and overflowing. One could have concluded they did not have a care in the world, and perhaps, given the optimism of the young, they don't. But, there was a gap in all the chatter. The spiritual dimension of life was missing from the conversation. I'd like to have asked, "Are you making time for the care of your soul? Is God included in all of these things you're enjoying?"
Don't read me wrong today. There's not a thing wrong with enjoying a great game of golf, playing a great round of Madden 7 on your Xbox, or seeking success in the workplace. Solomon, the wise, agrees - "I realized that it is good and proper for a man to eat and drink, and to find satisfaction in his toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given him—for this is his lot. Moreover, when God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work—this is a gift of God." (Ecclesiastes 5:18-19, NIV) But, that's not the whole of life!
The reference point from which our pleasure and work takes meaning is God. Solomon, the wise king, started his life with God, but wandered into pursuits of so many other things - women, wealth, fame, great accomplishments. He lost touch with the Lord and when he did, he also lost his way. He was like an explorer without a compass. But, with age, he found his way back to God, though with many regrets now part of his unchangeable history. He shares with us the conclusions he came to, albeit too late:
"Don’t let the excitement of youth cause you to forget your Creator. Honor him in your youth before you grow old and no longer enjoy living.
It will be too late then to remember him, when the light of the sun and moon and stars is dim to your old eyes, and there is no silver lining left among the clouds. ...
Here is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is the duty of every person. God will judge us for everything we do, including every secret thing, whether good or bad." (Ecclesiastes 12:1-14, NLT)
In Christ Jesus, life is made meaningful. To many that sounds like a command to spend all of life singing hymns and going to church, but that's so far from the truth! Knowing the Lord as the center of one's life, makes the sunrise brighter, the colors of life more vibrant, the experiences of life more exciting. Religion will steal the joy of life with all its regulations of human behavior, attempts at curbing the excesses of our sensual appetites. The Word exposes the futility of that substitute for a relationship with God - “Don’t handle, don’t eat, don’t touch.” Such rules are mere human teaching about things that are gone as soon as we use them. These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, humility, and severe bodily discipline. But they have no effect when it comes to conquering a person’s evil thoughts and desires." (Colossians 2:21-23, NLT)
But then the passage goes on to call us to love Christ and from our love of Him to discover a rich, full life. "So if you’re serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ, act like it. Pursue the things over which Christ presides. Don’t shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ—that’s where the action is. See things from his perspective." (Colossians 3:1-2, The Message) As we know Him, living with a heart and mind that seek His will, He guides us away from empty pursuits, helps us avoid the dead ends that sin leads us into, and opens up opportunities for life that is amazingly creative, and eternally rewarding.
Steve Green sings -
To love the Lord our God is the heartbeat of our mission,
the spring from which our service overflows.
Across the street or around the world,
the mission's still the same;
proclaim and live the truth in Jesus' name!
______________________
Lord God, be the Center of my life.
Holy Spirit fill me up with Your Presence,
so that I will love purely, take joy from service,
live creatively, and be protected from sin's deceptions.
I pray, Lord Jesus, that I will find loving You
the treasure of my life - and express that love
by serving, working, playing - all for the glory of God.
Amen.
Don't read me wrong today. There's not a thing wrong with enjoying a great game of golf, playing a great round of Madden 7 on your Xbox, or seeking success in the workplace. Solomon, the wise, agrees - "I realized that it is good and proper for a man to eat and drink, and to find satisfaction in his toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given him—for this is his lot. Moreover, when God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work—this is a gift of God." (Ecclesiastes 5:18-19, NIV) But, that's not the whole of life!
The reference point from which our pleasure and work takes meaning is God. Solomon, the wise king, started his life with God, but wandered into pursuits of so many other things - women, wealth, fame, great accomplishments. He lost touch with the Lord and when he did, he also lost his way. He was like an explorer without a compass. But, with age, he found his way back to God, though with many regrets now part of his unchangeable history. He shares with us the conclusions he came to, albeit too late:
"Don’t let the excitement of youth cause you to forget your Creator. Honor him in your youth before you grow old and no longer enjoy living.
It will be too late then to remember him, when the light of the sun and moon and stars is dim to your old eyes, and there is no silver lining left among the clouds. ...
Here is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is the duty of every person. God will judge us for everything we do, including every secret thing, whether good or bad." (Ecclesiastes 12:1-14, NLT)
In Christ Jesus, life is made meaningful. To many that sounds like a command to spend all of life singing hymns and going to church, but that's so far from the truth! Knowing the Lord as the center of one's life, makes the sunrise brighter, the colors of life more vibrant, the experiences of life more exciting. Religion will steal the joy of life with all its regulations of human behavior, attempts at curbing the excesses of our sensual appetites. The Word exposes the futility of that substitute for a relationship with God - “Don’t handle, don’t eat, don’t touch.” Such rules are mere human teaching about things that are gone as soon as we use them. These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, humility, and severe bodily discipline. But they have no effect when it comes to conquering a person’s evil thoughts and desires." (Colossians 2:21-23, NLT)
But then the passage goes on to call us to love Christ and from our love of Him to discover a rich, full life. "So if you’re serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ, act like it. Pursue the things over which Christ presides. Don’t shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ—that’s where the action is. See things from his perspective." (Colossians 3:1-2, The Message) As we know Him, living with a heart and mind that seek His will, He guides us away from empty pursuits, helps us avoid the dead ends that sin leads us into, and opens up opportunities for life that is amazingly creative, and eternally rewarding.
Steve Green sings -
To love the Lord our God is the heartbeat of our mission,
the spring from which our service overflows.
Across the street or around the world,
the mission's still the same;
proclaim and live the truth in Jesus' name!
______________________
Lord God, be the Center of my life.
Holy Spirit fill me up with Your Presence,
so that I will love purely, take joy from service,
live creatively, and be protected from sin's deceptions.
I pray, Lord Jesus, that I will find loving You
the treasure of my life - and express that love
by serving, working, playing - all for the glory of God.
Amen.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)