Nowadays one of the things that defines us is our 'marital' or 'relationship status'. Things like Facebook and MySpace both have sections devoted entirely to that. Either you're 'single', 'in a relationship' or 'married'. Of course, in the eyes of the world our goal should be to be in a relationship or married. It is, apparently, the only way to find true fulfillment, contentment and happiness.
I beg to differ.
I am currently in a loving, committed relationship. A relationship which involves giving and receiving, serving and sacrifice, forgiveness and grace, intimacy and friendship and which gives me true peace.
This relationship is with someone who is perfect, loving, merciful, beautiful, forgiving, gracious, kind, never makes mistakes, is always faithful and totally trustworthy. Someone who is always with me, always has been and always will be. Through whom I can do anything and can find my true identity, who sees the best in me and does everything in their power to protect, help and strengthen me.
No matter how many times I am unfaithful to this person, however many times I let them down, no matter how many mistakes I make, no matter how much I insult them, betray, fail or disappoint them, I know that every time, if I come, say sorry and ask for their forgiveness, it will be given.
Their love for me will never ever fail, no matter what I do. Not only that, I have proof that they love me enough to die for me.
Sounds pretty good eh? Maybe some of you are wondering who this perfect person is. Let me tell you, there's only one person who can meet this criteria. I suspect most of you have already figured it out.
Its Jesus Christ.
Well Jesus/God/Holy Spirit, the three in one. We can define it in may ways, but I like to put the person of Jesus in there. He after all lived among us, shared our human experience, with all its difficulties and temptations. He has been abused, insulted, rejected and tortured. He's been through the mill - He knows what is like to suffer. Any feeling, experience or emotion I have, He's already been there.
He's my Father, friend and Saviour, God on earth. I have a living relationship with Him.
The best thing is though, is that although this relationship is exclusive, that we can ALL have this relationship and it is always exclusive in that no-one else has the same relationship with Jesus.
All of this is to prove a point. Just because we're single doesn't mean second best. Think of the freedom of being single. Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the World, was single. As were many of the disciples, and Paul the Apostle.
Singleness is not second best and what's more does not and should not ever preclude you from serving God powerfully and being in leadership. Some churches seem to choose the opposite way and allow only married couples in leadership, when the Bible never says anything of the kind and practically proves through the lives of Jesus most significantly that there is no law on singles not serving.
You can choose what you do, when you do it, how you do it, without the anxiety of worrying about someone else. You are free as a Christian to go anywhere and do anything for God without having to take anyone else into account in your decisions. You can take even bigger risks for God. Not only that, but as a Christian you're not really 'single' anyway, as Christians have Jesus with them all the time, wherever they go.
Here's a little story from my own life. I'd been praying for confirmation from God about my relationships and whether I would get married. For months and months I prayed about it. Then somebody at my church last month completely out of the blue asked me if I had a girlfriend. I said no. He said simply "You will". It was like God saying that "James, for now I want you to be single, I want you to find your character, identity and security in me. But one day, you will get married. Trust me, put me at the centre and follow me and one day, when you least expect it, I will put someone in your path".
So that's what I've done. I've decided to really devote my time and energies into spending time with God, deepening my relationship with Him, increasing my knowledge of Him and developing my character and making my security and identity in Him. I'm actually very happy being single, because it allows me to devote more time to God and go on an adventure with Him.
When the time is right I believe God will put someone in my path. When will that happen? I don't know. Tomorrow, next week, next month, next year or even further on? But I trust God that it will. I also know that when it does I will be as fully reliant on God as possible and have my security in Him.
Putting your security in anything or anyone on this earth will just cause pain and hurt. Putting that in Jesus saves your life and guarantees your future. Is it not better to be single and know Jesus than be in a string of bad relationships and failed marriages and not know Him? I know which one I'd choose. I'd choose to be a single Christian, than in a relationship and never know my Saviour. I want my life, my identity and my character defined by Jesus and not by anyone else.
Our relationship status should define us - but our relationship with Jesus, not with a member of the opposite sex. Who is defining who you are today?
Monday, July 23, 2007
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Be Transformed
I watched the film 'Transformers' today. Took me back a bit to my childhood and had a great combination of action, humour, romance and comedy. Totally the last place I'd expect God to speak to me, so what happens? God spoke. To explain what He said, let me outline the details of this film - apologies in advance if you haven't seen it.
The film is basically about a war between a race of mechanic-organisms, robotic living beings, which finds its way to 21st century America. The real 'transformation' in this film I found though is not these machines, as spectacular as that is. The real transformation in the film is of the main human character is a man called Sam Witwicky.
This guy starts of as the classroom outcast, left out of all the main social groups, made fun of, no good at sports and seen as a loser. In the course of the film he discovers his grandfather first discovered the 'Transformers' and left a pair of glasses that Sam now owns which hold the key to the survival of the human race, he has to make sure these glasses don't get into the wrong hands.
He and a the class beauty who starts off tagging along with him to run away from her boyfriend discover this information and that the Autobots, the good Transformers, have all along been following him and his family for decades. They are arrested and end up fighting all these machines, and he becomes the protector of 'The Cube', a power source which in the wrong hands could be fatal for mankind. In the end he uses this power to kill the most evil transformer, Megatron, and the Autobots win the war, becoming allies with the humans. During the battle he discovers reserves of courage and strength he never realised he had, and discovers his true identity. He becomes who he was always meant to be. Of course, as is the case in these films, he gets the girl.
Now how does this all relate to God? I think it does in so many ways. I think as Christians our journey can be a lot like Sam's. We all go through periods of doubt, periods we think we're rubbish. We can't do anything for God, we don't matter. It's everyone else that gets blessed and an easy life.
This, of course, is a total lie.
I know because I myself used to think like that. Losing my mum and being bullied at school are just two things which contributed to me thinking those exact thoughts about myself. But recently discovered that all of that was a total lie. God doesn't see what's on the outside. He doesn't see the insecurities, the fear, the doubts. He made us and He can see what we can be. He knows what we're capable of if we have Him on our side and are seeking and serving Him.
If our minds and lives are orientated around Him, we can do things we never believed we could, through Him. We can change the world. We can be warriors in the Spiritual battle that daily goes on to try and bring this world back to Jesus. God sees what we can be. Satan is trying to stop all this happening and will do anything within his power to stop it (He must be worried about this blog, as I've had a few tachincal difficulties posting it!).
He has limited power, but still significant power. He gives rise to doubts and insecurities about ourselves and our worth, as he takes our circumstances and uses them against us. He makes our lives difficult and uses subtle half-lies to manipulate us to walk away from God. Why? Because he knows how dangerous we are to him when we have the power of Jesus by our side, and when the only fear we have is of the Lord.
There is a spiritual battle going on on this earth, and as Christians we are all participants in it Prayer, worship, service, The Spirit and the word of God are our weapons against him, and against anything of God, Satan cannot stand. The best bit about this, is that the war has already been won. Jesus won the war for us on the cross. We can take strength and courage from the fact that no matter what Satan does, he cannot defeat the power of God or the cross. The battles will rage until Jesus returns, but Satan knows he has already lost.
The other amazing thing is that in our hearts is the power of God. He has put His spirit in us and as Timothy says, it is "Not a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline" (2 Tim 1 v7). He is always with us, and His power and spirit is always with us, living in us. We can do anything with the power of God in us, anything that God tells us. Let's not be afraid, but move forward boldly.
Anything that comes against God cannot stand, and whatever the enemy throws at us, if we trust in God and put Him in the centre, we can get through it. We can be more and do more than we think. We can be 'transformed' more into God's image and into who He is calling us to be.
What an exciting prospect that is...
The film is basically about a war between a race of mechanic-organisms, robotic living beings, which finds its way to 21st century America. The real 'transformation' in this film I found though is not these machines, as spectacular as that is. The real transformation in the film is of the main human character is a man called Sam Witwicky.
This guy starts of as the classroom outcast, left out of all the main social groups, made fun of, no good at sports and seen as a loser. In the course of the film he discovers his grandfather first discovered the 'Transformers' and left a pair of glasses that Sam now owns which hold the key to the survival of the human race, he has to make sure these glasses don't get into the wrong hands.
He and a the class beauty who starts off tagging along with him to run away from her boyfriend discover this information and that the Autobots, the good Transformers, have all along been following him and his family for decades. They are arrested and end up fighting all these machines, and he becomes the protector of 'The Cube', a power source which in the wrong hands could be fatal for mankind. In the end he uses this power to kill the most evil transformer, Megatron, and the Autobots win the war, becoming allies with the humans. During the battle he discovers reserves of courage and strength he never realised he had, and discovers his true identity. He becomes who he was always meant to be. Of course, as is the case in these films, he gets the girl.
Now how does this all relate to God? I think it does in so many ways. I think as Christians our journey can be a lot like Sam's. We all go through periods of doubt, periods we think we're rubbish. We can't do anything for God, we don't matter. It's everyone else that gets blessed and an easy life.
This, of course, is a total lie.
I know because I myself used to think like that. Losing my mum and being bullied at school are just two things which contributed to me thinking those exact thoughts about myself. But recently discovered that all of that was a total lie. God doesn't see what's on the outside. He doesn't see the insecurities, the fear, the doubts. He made us and He can see what we can be. He knows what we're capable of if we have Him on our side and are seeking and serving Him.
If our minds and lives are orientated around Him, we can do things we never believed we could, through Him. We can change the world. We can be warriors in the Spiritual battle that daily goes on to try and bring this world back to Jesus. God sees what we can be. Satan is trying to stop all this happening and will do anything within his power to stop it (He must be worried about this blog, as I've had a few tachincal difficulties posting it!).
He has limited power, but still significant power. He gives rise to doubts and insecurities about ourselves and our worth, as he takes our circumstances and uses them against us. He makes our lives difficult and uses subtle half-lies to manipulate us to walk away from God. Why? Because he knows how dangerous we are to him when we have the power of Jesus by our side, and when the only fear we have is of the Lord.
There is a spiritual battle going on on this earth, and as Christians we are all participants in it Prayer, worship, service, The Spirit and the word of God are our weapons against him, and against anything of God, Satan cannot stand. The best bit about this, is that the war has already been won. Jesus won the war for us on the cross. We can take strength and courage from the fact that no matter what Satan does, he cannot defeat the power of God or the cross. The battles will rage until Jesus returns, but Satan knows he has already lost.
The other amazing thing is that in our hearts is the power of God. He has put His spirit in us and as Timothy says, it is "Not a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline" (2 Tim 1 v7). He is always with us, and His power and spirit is always with us, living in us. We can do anything with the power of God in us, anything that God tells us. Let's not be afraid, but move forward boldly.
Anything that comes against God cannot stand, and whatever the enemy throws at us, if we trust in God and put Him in the centre, we can get through it. We can be more and do more than we think. We can be 'transformed' more into God's image and into who He is calling us to be.
What an exciting prospect that is...
Friday, July 20, 2007
Prayer: Conversations with God
I've been reading 'Red Moon Rising' recently, about the birth and growth of the 24-7 Prayer movement and am feeling very inspired to write about prayer right now. This will hopefully be the first of a few articles on the subject of prayer.
The thing that struck me first of all when thinking about prayer was about how we do intimacy with God, and that there are different ways of doing it than just the conventional, well known ones. Intimacy is the closest kind of relationship you can have, its something you share with one other person and its a unique interaction between two people of closeness in a way you don't have with others. Most commonly that happens between married couples, but in a Christian context this also happens with God.
When we talk about intimacy with God we often talk about reverence and awe, facedown worship and quietness and stillness. I think this is very much intimacy with God, but I think its more than that. I think intimacy is engaging with God throughout your day and being totally honest with Him about what's going on in your everyday life and involve God in even your most private situations and thoughts. Its like an ongoing conversation with God
Intimacy and a real relationship with God is ongoing. In my experience you can reach a level of closeness where your everyday experience you go through with God. As you walk to the station to go to work, on the train even at work. If you're away on holiday sitting by the pool. If you're riding your bike or walking anywhere, or catching the bus. Even while listening to worship music on your i-pod, you can engage with God.
Quiet arrow prayers or praying aloud even, talking to God as you would your closest friend - as opposed to your 'buddy' - about life issues, about how you're feeling, to ask Him to cope with your day and your life while its happening. Discussing things with Him and asking Him about things that are on your mind, and challenging Him on the things you find hard and don't understand. Listening to him while you go about your life. You can I beleive even share a little in His sense of humour as you see that played out in everyday life. That is all intimacy with God.
You can't have a relationship with God on that level unless you have that closeness and trust between yourself and God. This is not the informal 'buddy' God we hear so much about nowadays, it's a lot more than that. It's having that reverence to know who He is, to have the closeness to trust Him and be honest with Him in prayer and engage daily with Him. Say how you feel, be honest with Him. If we don't understand what's happening, ask!
Its the closeness and honesty Job shared with God. He wrestled with God, challenged Him, enquired of Him. You can't do that without something more than a 'buddy' relationship and without the fear of the Lord - the awe and wonder of who He is and His greatness.
Once you come into the courts of the King you can engage with Him personally and intimately, with total honesty, with the security of His grace, mercy and love. Talking to God honestly, frankly and with respect and awe for who He is. That's as intimate in a different way as spending time in the quiet and the still and sitting in a room inviting God's spirit to come.
It's another form of intimacy, and is close in the right way, without the 'buddy' attitude. In my experience it means you get to see another side of God and really engage with Him about real issues with great honesty, and laugh as He laughs, feel the pain He does and the righteous anger. When you share that intimacy with God, you begin to feel what is on His heart and it becomes transplanted on to yours. What a privilege.
The thing that struck me first of all when thinking about prayer was about how we do intimacy with God, and that there are different ways of doing it than just the conventional, well known ones. Intimacy is the closest kind of relationship you can have, its something you share with one other person and its a unique interaction between two people of closeness in a way you don't have with others. Most commonly that happens between married couples, but in a Christian context this also happens with God.
When we talk about intimacy with God we often talk about reverence and awe, facedown worship and quietness and stillness. I think this is very much intimacy with God, but I think its more than that. I think intimacy is engaging with God throughout your day and being totally honest with Him about what's going on in your everyday life and involve God in even your most private situations and thoughts. Its like an ongoing conversation with God
Intimacy and a real relationship with God is ongoing. In my experience you can reach a level of closeness where your everyday experience you go through with God. As you walk to the station to go to work, on the train even at work. If you're away on holiday sitting by the pool. If you're riding your bike or walking anywhere, or catching the bus. Even while listening to worship music on your i-pod, you can engage with God.
Quiet arrow prayers or praying aloud even, talking to God as you would your closest friend - as opposed to your 'buddy' - about life issues, about how you're feeling, to ask Him to cope with your day and your life while its happening. Discussing things with Him and asking Him about things that are on your mind, and challenging Him on the things you find hard and don't understand. Listening to him while you go about your life. You can I beleive even share a little in His sense of humour as you see that played out in everyday life. That is all intimacy with God.
You can't have a relationship with God on that level unless you have that closeness and trust between yourself and God. This is not the informal 'buddy' God we hear so much about nowadays, it's a lot more than that. It's having that reverence to know who He is, to have the closeness to trust Him and be honest with Him in prayer and engage daily with Him. Say how you feel, be honest with Him. If we don't understand what's happening, ask!
Its the closeness and honesty Job shared with God. He wrestled with God, challenged Him, enquired of Him. You can't do that without something more than a 'buddy' relationship and without the fear of the Lord - the awe and wonder of who He is and His greatness.
Once you come into the courts of the King you can engage with Him personally and intimately, with total honesty, with the security of His grace, mercy and love. Talking to God honestly, frankly and with respect and awe for who He is. That's as intimate in a different way as spending time in the quiet and the still and sitting in a room inviting God's spirit to come.
It's another form of intimacy, and is close in the right way, without the 'buddy' attitude. In my experience it means you get to see another side of God and really engage with Him about real issues with great honesty, and laugh as He laughs, feel the pain He does and the righteous anger. When you share that intimacy with God, you begin to feel what is on His heart and it becomes transplanted on to yours. What a privilege.
Saturday, July 14, 2007
Crazy thing, getting a train
I did a crazy thing today. I got a train from Taunton to Epsom. Nothing crazy about that, you might well say.
Tell you what, I'll go back about 24 hours. I was staying at the Holiday Inn in Taunton on a cricket tour with friends. I'd been reading a book called "Red Moon Rising" about the birth and growth of the 24-7 Prayer movement. I was reading about an awesome God doing awesome things and people doing crazy things for God.
As I read, my heart was racing. All I could think about was getting involved, about doing something. Forgetting whatever else I was doing, forgetting the world's agenda, their values and priorities. Reading this book it seemed much more of an adventure to go wild for God and get involved in building up His kingdom.
But I thought I could continue my weekend away and still do this. Not so. On the Friday morning in the health club I was in the jacuzzi relaxing and it came to my attention the name of the health club - "Spirit Health and Leisure". The logo was straight opposite where I was sitting and for some reason I could only read the words "Spirit" and "Health" together. It felt like God was trying to tell me something.
That evening I read more of the book. I was by now getting very excited and was struggling to put the book down. The amazing protection, power and awesomeness of God and His clear plan in this 'accidental' movement was truly incredible. So I put some worship music on in my hotel room and worshipped. I simply had to.
The thing is, as I was worshipping, I had a sense that God was telling me to leave this all behind and go home. To leave the cricket tour, pay for a train ticket home and travel back therefore missing out on playing two games of cricket and having to pay out more money.
The problem was, this was one of those annoying awkward feelings you get when you hear something from God and know its from Him. The feeling of attempted denial and trying to change God's mind before the realisation. There's no getting away from it. This was God testing my obedience. I had no idea why specifically I had to go back, just the knowledge that I did.
So I made arrangements to go. I got players to play on the games I was supposed to and made my excuses. People asked me why, I just said "I have to go, and I can't explain any better than that".
So I got on the train home from Taunton on Saturday. By now it had dawned on me that it might have something to do with prayer and spending a lot of quality time with God, praying about my future. In fact, more than that, I started to feel a great sense of destiny and calling.
The more I read about 24-7 the more I realised that I had to get involved. Prayer has always been one of my biggest passions and I've always suspected it might involve 24-7. But now it was feeling very real. God was also telling me to be patient till the right time - this year may be too soon, God has things to do first. But one thing I know now, is that God wants me involved in the 24-7 prayer movement.
Of course, this all starts in my own church. We're starting a new service and there's new opportunities. I want to be more involved with the prayer life of my church and now have fresh motivation and vision for what that should be. I'm going to talk about this with my pastor.
One thing is for sure, my life has no changed. My past is being put further and further in my past and I'm moving into a new life, and that includes moving house. My past needs to be put to the past. My future is beginning now - its the present.
My present and future life will be one not decided or even defined by the people and culture around me or by the circumstances that befall me - as they have been in the past - but by Jesus.
Forget your modern-day consumer culture. God has shown me the folly and pointlessness of it all, and how much this world needs Him and His agenda, and from now on that's my agenda.
Its amazing how revolutionary a train journey can be...
Tell you what, I'll go back about 24 hours. I was staying at the Holiday Inn in Taunton on a cricket tour with friends. I'd been reading a book called "Red Moon Rising" about the birth and growth of the 24-7 Prayer movement. I was reading about an awesome God doing awesome things and people doing crazy things for God.
As I read, my heart was racing. All I could think about was getting involved, about doing something. Forgetting whatever else I was doing, forgetting the world's agenda, their values and priorities. Reading this book it seemed much more of an adventure to go wild for God and get involved in building up His kingdom.
But I thought I could continue my weekend away and still do this. Not so. On the Friday morning in the health club I was in the jacuzzi relaxing and it came to my attention the name of the health club - "Spirit Health and Leisure". The logo was straight opposite where I was sitting and for some reason I could only read the words "Spirit" and "Health" together. It felt like God was trying to tell me something.
That evening I read more of the book. I was by now getting very excited and was struggling to put the book down. The amazing protection, power and awesomeness of God and His clear plan in this 'accidental' movement was truly incredible. So I put some worship music on in my hotel room and worshipped. I simply had to.
The thing is, as I was worshipping, I had a sense that God was telling me to leave this all behind and go home. To leave the cricket tour, pay for a train ticket home and travel back therefore missing out on playing two games of cricket and having to pay out more money.
The problem was, this was one of those annoying awkward feelings you get when you hear something from God and know its from Him. The feeling of attempted denial and trying to change God's mind before the realisation. There's no getting away from it. This was God testing my obedience. I had no idea why specifically I had to go back, just the knowledge that I did.
So I made arrangements to go. I got players to play on the games I was supposed to and made my excuses. People asked me why, I just said "I have to go, and I can't explain any better than that".
So I got on the train home from Taunton on Saturday. By now it had dawned on me that it might have something to do with prayer and spending a lot of quality time with God, praying about my future. In fact, more than that, I started to feel a great sense of destiny and calling.
The more I read about 24-7 the more I realised that I had to get involved. Prayer has always been one of my biggest passions and I've always suspected it might involve 24-7. But now it was feeling very real. God was also telling me to be patient till the right time - this year may be too soon, God has things to do first. But one thing I know now, is that God wants me involved in the 24-7 prayer movement.
Of course, this all starts in my own church. We're starting a new service and there's new opportunities. I want to be more involved with the prayer life of my church and now have fresh motivation and vision for what that should be. I'm going to talk about this with my pastor.
One thing is for sure, my life has no changed. My past is being put further and further in my past and I'm moving into a new life, and that includes moving house. My past needs to be put to the past. My future is beginning now - its the present.
My present and future life will be one not decided or even defined by the people and culture around me or by the circumstances that befall me - as they have been in the past - but by Jesus.
Forget your modern-day consumer culture. God has shown me the folly and pointlessness of it all, and how much this world needs Him and His agenda, and from now on that's my agenda.
Its amazing how revolutionary a train journey can be...
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
True surrender
I was talking to a friend of mine at the weekend discussing my plans regarding moving house. I proudly announced where I was going to be living and talking about my future at my church. Then he said 'How do you know this is what God wants?'
I thought about it for a moment and realised he was right. I had assumed that as I had found a church in Sutton that I should be living there. I hadn't put God at the centre of my decision. I hadn't even questioned whether He wanted me to stay at my current church. I hadn't surrendered these decisions to God.
My pastor, Jason, spoke recently about surrendering our lives to God and putting Him at the centre of every decision. On Sunday someone responded and said what had happened when they didn't put God at the centre of their decisions. They were uncomfortable at their new church and in their new home. The had moved before asking God and found a church afterwards.
When Jason asked us to respond I knew he was talking to me. I had to go up. I realised how scared I am of the future. As I started to let go of things I started to feel this fear even more. However, I knew that the fear was a sign I was doing the right thing - it was the enemy trying to stop me. I pressed on and let go of all the decisions in my life. My relationships, my job, where I live, where I go to church.
I don't know what the answers are yet, but I'm listening for the answers. Am I afraid of the answers? A little. But I know that if people are praying about it, I've surrendered it and am listening to God about it then He will tell me and make it clear to me. I don't know what the future holds exactly. But I do know that my future will be building God's kingdom not my own.
It will not be me making decisions about my life then asking God to bless them. It will be asking what God's plans are and then making decisions in obedience to that. Its scary but exciting. Who knows where its going to lead me.
I finally know the meaning of the song lyric "I surrender all to you, all to you".
Its not saying "I surrender the stuff I choose". But "I surrender all". That's the challenge to us all.
I thought about it for a moment and realised he was right. I had assumed that as I had found a church in Sutton that I should be living there. I hadn't put God at the centre of my decision. I hadn't even questioned whether He wanted me to stay at my current church. I hadn't surrendered these decisions to God.
My pastor, Jason, spoke recently about surrendering our lives to God and putting Him at the centre of every decision. On Sunday someone responded and said what had happened when they didn't put God at the centre of their decisions. They were uncomfortable at their new church and in their new home. The had moved before asking God and found a church afterwards.
When Jason asked us to respond I knew he was talking to me. I had to go up. I realised how scared I am of the future. As I started to let go of things I started to feel this fear even more. However, I knew that the fear was a sign I was doing the right thing - it was the enemy trying to stop me. I pressed on and let go of all the decisions in my life. My relationships, my job, where I live, where I go to church.
I don't know what the answers are yet, but I'm listening for the answers. Am I afraid of the answers? A little. But I know that if people are praying about it, I've surrendered it and am listening to God about it then He will tell me and make it clear to me. I don't know what the future holds exactly. But I do know that my future will be building God's kingdom not my own.
It will not be me making decisions about my life then asking God to bless them. It will be asking what God's plans are and then making decisions in obedience to that. Its scary but exciting. Who knows where its going to lead me.
I finally know the meaning of the song lyric "I surrender all to you, all to you".
Its not saying "I surrender the stuff I choose". But "I surrender all". That's the challenge to us all.
Sunday, June 10, 2007
Our lives are not our own
I was at church today listening to Jason, my pastor, talk about values, about how as Christians we should not be letting our lives be defined by the culture we live in, but by Jesus. He was right. But the thing that spoke to me most was a story he told about himself, the day after he became a Christian. He realised his life was no longer his. It belonged to Jesus.
What an amazing truth and such a liberating one. Imagine, not having to worry any more about how you're going to get through each day, that you no longer have to worry about deciding what you're going to do with the rest of your life. Why is that? Becuase when you belong to Jesus, your life belongs to Him. You're obedient to his will, His calling on your life, His teachings and your lifestyle changes to fit His standards, rather than the standards of this world.
Its not 'what's best for me?', 'how can I promote myself?', 'how can I achieve success and happiness for myself?', 'its my life'. Instead it's 'love others as you love yourself', 'how can I serve and glorify God?', 'how can I change my lifestyle to fit His standards?',' what does God want me to do?', 'what job does He want for me?', 'where does He want me to live?'. It's a totally different set of values, and those are what really show that you're a Christian.
We still make our choices, and we are still responsible for those, that doesn't change. What changes is on what basis we make those choices, and the values that govern those choices. Faith is demonstrated through action, as another, more famous James wrote.
The bottom line? Our lives don't belong to us if we're Christians, they belong to God. His values become ours and on that basis we make choices, according to God's will and purpose for our lives.
And I personally feel a whole lot safer that way.
What an amazing truth and such a liberating one. Imagine, not having to worry any more about how you're going to get through each day, that you no longer have to worry about deciding what you're going to do with the rest of your life. Why is that? Becuase when you belong to Jesus, your life belongs to Him. You're obedient to his will, His calling on your life, His teachings and your lifestyle changes to fit His standards, rather than the standards of this world.
Its not 'what's best for me?', 'how can I promote myself?', 'how can I achieve success and happiness for myself?', 'its my life'. Instead it's 'love others as you love yourself', 'how can I serve and glorify God?', 'how can I change my lifestyle to fit His standards?',' what does God want me to do?', 'what job does He want for me?', 'where does He want me to live?'. It's a totally different set of values, and those are what really show that you're a Christian.
We still make our choices, and we are still responsible for those, that doesn't change. What changes is on what basis we make those choices, and the values that govern those choices. Faith is demonstrated through action, as another, more famous James wrote.
The bottom line? Our lives don't belong to us if we're Christians, they belong to God. His values become ours and on that basis we make choices, according to God's will and purpose for our lives.
And I personally feel a whole lot safer that way.
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