A letter
I was reading a letter written to me, and others, a very long time ago. Seems like I've read that letter a million times but it always speaks something new to me.
Listen to this line. "God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him."
That idea of pleasing God is sure fading today. No doubt the majority of people know what would please God but simply don't care to do that routinely. It's so easy to choose ourselves, giving in to our own desires for whatever...what we eat/drink, where we go, what we watch, who we hang with, etc etc etc. And I'm not even talking serious "bad" stuff...just what would honor God in the routines.
It so easy to put aside all of our knowledge of God, who He is, and just live. Yes we think about Him on Sunday mornings and a very VERY small percentage of people crack up the Bible sometime during the week. And even though we might have a hard time saying it, we sort of live like the rest of the week is "my time". No, we might not be partying it up or whatever...but are we living day to day in the desires of a Holy, Mighty God.
I remember blogging a couple of years ago about the Barna book, Revolution. It's setting on my desk at work actually (the book, not the blog entry). Such a great title b/c it really is a revolution to think about moving from such a bland, ChrEaster (those who go to church on Christmas and Easter) faith to a vibrant, living faith in the Living God. It's a day by day, moment by moment thing that is possible. After all, we're reminded in that pastor's letter (incidentally it's from Paul) that God gives us the power to live that kind of revolutionary faith-life.
That's what's tough...and what keeps me and so many others from having constant, consistent victory. It's tough to take life in bite-sized pieces. I need to learn to live this moment. Honor God with this moment. Praise Him in this moment. Make sure that I'm completely aligned with Him right now. And when this moment passes, I'll do the same in the next. And when I screw up, I need to remember to just get up and keep moving ahead...so hard to do, right?
How else can I think that the abundant life is possible? Forget it! There's too much difficulty and heart-ache in this world to try to go it on my pathetic strength and with my pathetic perspective on life. I choose God. I choose Christ.
Listen to this line. "God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him."
That idea of pleasing God is sure fading today. No doubt the majority of people know what would please God but simply don't care to do that routinely. It's so easy to choose ourselves, giving in to our own desires for whatever...what we eat/drink, where we go, what we watch, who we hang with, etc etc etc. And I'm not even talking serious "bad" stuff...just what would honor God in the routines.
It so easy to put aside all of our knowledge of God, who He is, and just live. Yes we think about Him on Sunday mornings and a very VERY small percentage of people crack up the Bible sometime during the week. And even though we might have a hard time saying it, we sort of live like the rest of the week is "my time". No, we might not be partying it up or whatever...but are we living day to day in the desires of a Holy, Mighty God.
I remember blogging a couple of years ago about the Barna book, Revolution. It's setting on my desk at work actually (the book, not the blog entry). Such a great title b/c it really is a revolution to think about moving from such a bland, ChrEaster (those who go to church on Christmas and Easter) faith to a vibrant, living faith in the Living God. It's a day by day, moment by moment thing that is possible. After all, we're reminded in that pastor's letter (incidentally it's from Paul) that God gives us the power to live that kind of revolutionary faith-life.
That's what's tough...and what keeps me and so many others from having constant, consistent victory. It's tough to take life in bite-sized pieces. I need to learn to live this moment. Honor God with this moment. Praise Him in this moment. Make sure that I'm completely aligned with Him right now. And when this moment passes, I'll do the same in the next. And when I screw up, I need to remember to just get up and keep moving ahead...so hard to do, right?
How else can I think that the abundant life is possible? Forget it! There's too much difficulty and heart-ache in this world to try to go it on my pathetic strength and with my pathetic perspective on life. I choose God. I choose Christ.
posted by Michael Shattuck at
6:16 AM
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