We take the Baby Jesus out of Christmas and the Resurrection out of Easter, and we wonder why our lives
are
boring.
Thursday, April 27, 2017
Tuesday, April 11, 2017
Actions speak louder than words, even to God
"According to what he has done..." (Matthew 16:24) Done? Does that mean achieved? Gotten? Amassed for myself? No, that would be "setting my mind on the things of man and not on the things of God" which the Lord so violently eschews a few verses earlier. ("For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?")
Done. Not wanted to do but never had time for. Not tried to do but other things took priority. Not believed but it had no impact on my life, and wasn't worth telling others about. Ouch.
Done, with my mind set on the things of God. Done, while I deny myself, take up my cross, and follow Jesus. Done, out of a heart full of love (I Corinthians 13).
It's obedience. That's what God wants. That's what Jesus did: THAT was His claim to fame with His Father. "I do nothing of my Own will, but only what the Father tells me to do."
In Christ, I get a do-over. I have the opportunity to go back to the Garden and trust and obey this time. To believe my Father loves me so much to not withhold any good thing from me. To freely prove to Him my gratefulness and affection and trust.
Done. Not wanted to do but never had time for. Not tried to do but other things took priority. Not believed but it had no impact on my life, and wasn't worth telling others about. Ouch.
Done, with my mind set on the things of God. Done, while I deny myself, take up my cross, and follow Jesus. Done, out of a heart full of love (I Corinthians 13).
It's obedience. That's what God wants. That's what Jesus did: THAT was His claim to fame with His Father. "I do nothing of my Own will, but only what the Father tells me to do."
In Christ, I get a do-over. I have the opportunity to go back to the Garden and trust and obey this time. To believe my Father loves me so much to not withhold any good thing from me. To freely prove to Him my gratefulness and affection and trust.
Saturday, April 1, 2017
Bad connection?
"I could have my own phone!" My seven-year-old daughter found an old cellphone that her younger sister had plugged into the charger. She got excited that should we be able to use that phone once it charged up.
I had to explain of course that it still wouldn't work as a phone, because it wasn't connected. And we have to pay money to keep it connected.
This morning she noticed that it was charged up but the time and date were not correct. Again, I said "because it's not connected to the Big Brain, to tell it what time it really is."
Then it hit me. Sin and neglect makes us lose connection with the Divine Internet, so to speak. When we get frustrated (and want to throw things, right?) that our computer or phone lost connection, or is spotty or slow, let us remember...that's how our spirit feels when it isn't plugged in to God. With a strong, clean connection. With nothing coming between.
And we have to pay--in time, heart, discipline, honesty--to stay connected.
That's how the Manufacturer designed us to work. And we just don't otherwise.
I had to explain of course that it still wouldn't work as a phone, because it wasn't connected. And we have to pay money to keep it connected.
This morning she noticed that it was charged up but the time and date were not correct. Again, I said "because it's not connected to the Big Brain, to tell it what time it really is."
Then it hit me. Sin and neglect makes us lose connection with the Divine Internet, so to speak. When we get frustrated (and want to throw things, right?) that our computer or phone lost connection, or is spotty or slow, let us remember...that's how our spirit feels when it isn't plugged in to God. With a strong, clean connection. With nothing coming between.
And we have to pay--in time, heart, discipline, honesty--to stay connected.
That's how the Manufacturer designed us to work. And we just don't otherwise.
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