My pastor's sermon this morning was from 1 Corinthians 9 (you can find it here when they post it: North Wake). He questioned us with: Is there any thing you're willing to sacrifice to not hinder the gospel? He talked about viewing our sin rightly, so we might view the gospel rightly for the power of God and hope it holds. Well, I spent the afternoon at the pool after church and brought my book club book along cause I wanted to get caught up, so I could watch the video discussions. It was amazing how these similar things jumped out at me while I read. The book is based on Colossians 3, where Paul writes about us taking off our old practices, and putting on Christ. This passage is familiar to me as last year's Women's Retreat had a entire teaching session out of this passage. However, I never focused in on the portion of the text that states:
12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
This is something I often forget and because I'm quick to forget that I am chosen, holy, and dearly loved, I reduce my Christian life down to a daily battle within myself to correct my own "behavior". Here's how the author more eloquently states this realization of the power of these three truths:
"I yearn to live altogether differently, not simply because I've learned how to manage my behavior but because God has changed me from the inside. And because I desperately desire to draw others to Jesus by a life that is distinctly bright and whole, because He has made it so... Paul clearly states that our being chosen, set apart as a saint, and loved is the sole work of God....But for now, we must accept and enjoy the grace and justification that has set us apart. We must revel in being saints. Anything less, and we're back to demerits and striving and classroom lectures, things that may manage our behaviors but can never change our hearts. And if being chosen, holy, and loved is about anything, it is about our hearts" (The Fitting Room p 50-51)
I have grown so accustomed to hearing these things that they have become familiar and have lost some of the revelry they should bring about in my heart. It has become this grand truth that I know with my head, but has somehow gotten lost in the journey to really becoming embedded in my heart. I'm being to see the reason is that they've gotten lodged on quiet a few idols that have built up upon the pathway. Oh how easily my heart seems to manufacture things to worship and chose above Christ. It's time for these things to begin to be chiseled away by the truths that can transform me from this rough sketch of who I think God wants me to be to the actual transformation that only he can do. Changing requires some effort on my part to cooperate and obey the Holy Spirit's prompting to "take off" "chisel away at the old man". Pray that I might be diligent to pray for these things that are lodged in the way to be revealed and I will gain a sense of awe and confidence of these truths. I am loved. I am chosen by God. I am dearly loved. How I want these things embedded deep in my heart that I would not be fearful of man and proclaim boldly the marvelous love that I have experienced rather than I think I understand.
"The problem is we either hear we are loved by Go so much that it starts to lose its meaning, or we've watered down our understanding of agape to the point that it starts ringing ordinary. Familiarity may breed contempt, but a lot of times it just breeds numbness." (The Fitting Room p. 55)
No comments:
Post a Comment