I'm speaking to you out of deep gratitude for all that God has given me, and especially as I have responsibilities in relation to you. Living then, as every one of you does, in pure grace, it's important that you not misinterpret yourselves as people who are bringing this goodness to God. No, God brings it all to you. The only accurate way to understand ourselves is by what God is and by what he does for us, not by what we are and what we do for him. (Romans 12:3 MSG)
It's not about us. It's not about us at all. Every day we need to leave ourselves in the grave and put on Christ. Nothing good that we do is of us but it's him living in us. We are not good so we could never be good enough to earn or be worthy of the great gift that we have been given. We could never be worthy on our own. So give it up. Stop trying to meet the mark of the law. You can't do it. You are setting yourselves up for failure. Instead take all of that list checking, rule keeping energy and throw yourselves into the lives of the poor and needy.
No one is perfect. No one knows everything and no one is going to ever do everything right. Likewise is no body or congregation of people perfect. Getting it as close to perfect as possible still isn't perfect and doesn't make any body better or more right than another body. All have fallen short. So stop fighting. Stop picking eachother apart and bringing eachother down. Instead use all of that fighting and picking energy to band together for a greater cause. For the cause of Christ. The real cause of Christ. To serve in love. That's what the gospel is about.
Do it all in the name of God. He is who makes you capable. He is the one who gives you your very existence and breathes life into you. Breathe life into others. Lift eachother up. Give where there is need. Grow roots into eachothers lives that run deep.
I really want to see what it would look like. I don't want to just talk about it. I want to do something about it. I want to make it happen. I don't know how but I know God will show me. Start the revolution with me. Please. For Jesus.
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Death and New Life.
There's a chill in the air and in my bones.
Leaves fall from the trees, lay among the stones.
They're dying but you can't tell.
From the beautiful colors, they look well.
Everything falls apart as the seasons change.
All different, yet all the same.
A cycle of death and resurrection,
Leads life in a new direction.
Love is present through it all.
Hope rising, even in the fall.
There's something about this season, about fall, that makes my heart glad. The cold makes me appreciate my comforter and my unnecessary six pillows on my bed. It makes me appreciate my kitty and his warm coat that I can cuddle up with. The cold air feels refreshing in my lungs. Something about a cool breeze and a deep breath in tells me that everything is going to be okay. The beauty of fall makes me stop and stare.
When I think about it, that may be contrary to what most other people think of and feel in the fall. Fall is a time when most of nature is dying and preparing for the coldest time of year. Animals stock up on food and hide. Leaves fall and all other kinds of plants die. The ground gets hard. It gets dark earlier.
Some people get depressed in the fall and winter. I find hope.
If God can find a way for animals and plants to survive through their coldest and darkest time, of course he will do the same for me. If the leaves fall off the trees so their limbs can be coated in a beautiful blanket of white, then maybe God is doing the same with me. He's stripping away the old, to bring in the new. He is making me new.
Leaves fall from the trees, lay among the stones.
They're dying but you can't tell.
From the beautiful colors, they look well.
Everything falls apart as the seasons change.
All different, yet all the same.
A cycle of death and resurrection,
Leads life in a new direction.
Love is present through it all.
Hope rising, even in the fall.
There's something about this season, about fall, that makes my heart glad. The cold makes me appreciate my comforter and my unnecessary six pillows on my bed. It makes me appreciate my kitty and his warm coat that I can cuddle up with. The cold air feels refreshing in my lungs. Something about a cool breeze and a deep breath in tells me that everything is going to be okay. The beauty of fall makes me stop and stare.
When I think about it, that may be contrary to what most other people think of and feel in the fall. Fall is a time when most of nature is dying and preparing for the coldest time of year. Animals stock up on food and hide. Leaves fall and all other kinds of plants die. The ground gets hard. It gets dark earlier.
Some people get depressed in the fall and winter. I find hope.
If God can find a way for animals and plants to survive through their coldest and darkest time, of course he will do the same for me. If the leaves fall off the trees so their limbs can be coated in a beautiful blanket of white, then maybe God is doing the same with me. He's stripping away the old, to bring in the new. He is making me new.
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