"In our hearts, Lord, in this nation
Awakening
Holy Spirit, we desire
Awakening
For You and You alone
Awake my soul, awake my soul and sing
For the world You love
Your will be done, let Your will be done in me"
These are the lyrics to a Chris Tomlin song called "Awakening." Tonight I decided to listen to the Passion Awakening CD and this was the first song that popped up. I couldn't help but resonate with these words.
It seems like God has been stirring up something within me. I don't want to be satisfied with mediocrity. Even more, I don't want to be satisfied with just being "good." I want something deeper. I want to be part of a grand plan. I don't want to just settle for comfort or ease.
I'm not sure what all the implications may be, but I know that it won't be easy. Yet, although it may be a difficult road to walk, it will be a beautiful one. And I'm excited about the journey!
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Sunday, June 13, 2010
lessons from David
Lately, I have been reading through some of the Old Testament. There are certain parts of the Bible that I have re-read several times--Judges, 1 & 2 Samuel usually aren't included in that list! So, I have been journeying back through some of those less-read books. I just finished 2 Samuel last night and today I can't seem to get the closing lines out of my head. You know when you finish watching a movie and the characters or quotes just seem to linger with you? That's where I'm at right now.
Let me give you a little background. Here's what went down:
God spoke through a prophet to David, telling him to build an altar to on a threshing floor that happened to be owned by another man. So, David goes to visit this man and asks to buy his land that the threshing floor is located on. Since David is the king and he is coming with such a noble purpose of building an altar to God, the man offers to give David the land for free (I mean, who doesn't offer to give the king anything he asks for...especially if he's known for being an expert warrior!) Yet, David refuses his offer. Instead, he replies, "...I will buy it from you for a price. I will not offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God that cost me nothing." So, he gives the guy some money for the land and some of his oxen and there the altar is errected and the burnt offering made. And the story ends happily ever after...or at least a plague that had been hitting up Israel was averted.
So, here I am, finishing up this book and I am left with it lingering in my head. Just like those famous quotes of "Hasta la vista, baby" or "Life is like a box of chocolates," I can't seem to get over David's starring line. At the close of the book, he rolls in with something that just keeps running over and over... "I will not offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God that cost me nothing."
And I'm left feeling the same as if I had just watched an epic film. I am gripped with the honesty, character and loyalty of the main character. I not only enjoyed the journey of reading the details of his life, but I want to emmulate him. I am compelled to be the person that says, "I will not offer God something that cost me absolutely nothing."
Yet, how difficult is that for me to do? I honestly don't encounter that much sacrifice on a daily basis. I live in a society of convenience and prosperity. Even my faith is filled with comfort and ease. To contrast this, I look at David's time. At the close of 2 Samuel, David and his people had just endured a plague that cost them a lot of lives. Yet, despite the state he was in, he still wanted to give an offering that came with a price. How much more difficult is it for me to do the same?
Not only does this Old Testament passage challenge me, but I look to the New Testament and the words of Christ as well. In Luke 14, He says: "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple...any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple."
Those are tough words to swallow. Although, I don't believe Jesus is asking us to loathe everyone we come in contact with, I believe that He is calling us to give all we are to Him. Our love for friends, family, job, things, and even life itself should pale in comparison to our love for Him. The love that we exhibit to Christ should be so great that it would seem like our love for anything else would resemble hate. And that is an offering that costs something.
Can I live up to the challenge? Honestly, no. I get used to things being easy. Yet, by God's grace and the nudging of His Holy Spirit, He is calling me to something deeper. To get there, it's going to cost me something. It may be time, it may be money, it may be pieces of myself that I want to hold on to....it could be any number of things. But one thing I know is this--I want to offer myself to God because He has offered Himself to me. He has already paid the cost for the offering by giving His life. That compels me to give my own. His sacrifice did not just cost Him something, it costs Him everything...and He compels us to do the same.
"For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it." Luke 9:24
Let me give you a little background. Here's what went down:
God spoke through a prophet to David, telling him to build an altar to on a threshing floor that happened to be owned by another man. So, David goes to visit this man and asks to buy his land that the threshing floor is located on. Since David is the king and he is coming with such a noble purpose of building an altar to God, the man offers to give David the land for free (I mean, who doesn't offer to give the king anything he asks for...especially if he's known for being an expert warrior!) Yet, David refuses his offer. Instead, he replies, "...I will buy it from you for a price. I will not offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God that cost me nothing." So, he gives the guy some money for the land and some of his oxen and there the altar is errected and the burnt offering made. And the story ends happily ever after...or at least a plague that had been hitting up Israel was averted.
So, here I am, finishing up this book and I am left with it lingering in my head. Just like those famous quotes of "Hasta la vista, baby" or "Life is like a box of chocolates," I can't seem to get over David's starring line. At the close of the book, he rolls in with something that just keeps running over and over... "I will not offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God that cost me nothing."
And I'm left feeling the same as if I had just watched an epic film. I am gripped with the honesty, character and loyalty of the main character. I not only enjoyed the journey of reading the details of his life, but I want to emmulate him. I am compelled to be the person that says, "I will not offer God something that cost me absolutely nothing."
Yet, how difficult is that for me to do? I honestly don't encounter that much sacrifice on a daily basis. I live in a society of convenience and prosperity. Even my faith is filled with comfort and ease. To contrast this, I look at David's time. At the close of 2 Samuel, David and his people had just endured a plague that cost them a lot of lives. Yet, despite the state he was in, he still wanted to give an offering that came with a price. How much more difficult is it for me to do the same?
Not only does this Old Testament passage challenge me, but I look to the New Testament and the words of Christ as well. In Luke 14, He says: "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple...any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple."
Those are tough words to swallow. Although, I don't believe Jesus is asking us to loathe everyone we come in contact with, I believe that He is calling us to give all we are to Him. Our love for friends, family, job, things, and even life itself should pale in comparison to our love for Him. The love that we exhibit to Christ should be so great that it would seem like our love for anything else would resemble hate. And that is an offering that costs something.
Can I live up to the challenge? Honestly, no. I get used to things being easy. Yet, by God's grace and the nudging of His Holy Spirit, He is calling me to something deeper. To get there, it's going to cost me something. It may be time, it may be money, it may be pieces of myself that I want to hold on to....it could be any number of things. But one thing I know is this--I want to offer myself to God because He has offered Himself to me. He has already paid the cost for the offering by giving His life. That compels me to give my own. His sacrifice did not just cost Him something, it costs Him everything...and He compels us to do the same.
"For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it." Luke 9:24
Saturday, June 5, 2010
asking the right questions
So, someone got onto me for not updating my blog....sorry about that! Here is a post to appease the masses! :)
Lately, I have been challenged about "asking the right questions." Recently, I took a quick trip home to TN to visit my Dad who had back surgery last week. During my 9+hour ride in the car, I listened to a sermon series called "It's Personal" by Andy Stanley. (It was a very interesting series and I would definitely recommend it.) During one of his sermons he used the text from Matthew 18:1-4 where the disciples ask about which one of them will be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
In this passage, the disciples came to Jesus with a very important question...or at least so they thought. At the time, the disciples believed Jesus was going to take over the Roman Empire and be the reigning King. He would come in with military power and establish an earthly kingdom where he would rule with authority. With this thought in mind, they were curious as to which disciple might be most favored in the future reign. They wanted to know who would sit at His right hand and serve alongside Him. (Basically, they were asking, "Who is your favorite? There has to be a Teacher's pet, right?")
As usual, Jesus responded to them with something they weren't quite expecting. He didn't call someone's name out or even scold them for asking such a question. Instead, He placed a little child in front of them and said, "whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven."
The disciples were trying. They didn't always have things right and sometimes they didn't even have the purest of intentions. However, they got the chance to live and walk alongside Jesus Christ. (What a privelege!) So, if those who saw Him tangibly can screw things up so royally, how much more am I capable of?!
Looking at this passage challenges me to seek to ask the right questions. Just like the disciples, I want answers that will appease me. I want to know "why this?" or "what's that?" when it comes to the Kingdom and its Ruler. Yet, I have to ask myself, are those the right questions? Is my focus in the right place? I wonder how different Jesus' response might have been if the disciples asked, "How can we best serve Your kingdom?" Or "What can we do to help establish it in this place?"
So, although, I know I will continue to ask a lot of "wrong" questions, I'm extremely grateful to serve a God that takes time to place a lesson in front of me and gives me grace to try again. And try again I will...
Lately, I have been challenged about "asking the right questions." Recently, I took a quick trip home to TN to visit my Dad who had back surgery last week. During my 9+hour ride in the car, I listened to a sermon series called "It's Personal" by Andy Stanley. (It was a very interesting series and I would definitely recommend it.) During one of his sermons he used the text from Matthew 18:1-4 where the disciples ask about which one of them will be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
In this passage, the disciples came to Jesus with a very important question...or at least so they thought. At the time, the disciples believed Jesus was going to take over the Roman Empire and be the reigning King. He would come in with military power and establish an earthly kingdom where he would rule with authority. With this thought in mind, they were curious as to which disciple might be most favored in the future reign. They wanted to know who would sit at His right hand and serve alongside Him. (Basically, they were asking, "Who is your favorite? There has to be a Teacher's pet, right?")
As usual, Jesus responded to them with something they weren't quite expecting. He didn't call someone's name out or even scold them for asking such a question. Instead, He placed a little child in front of them and said, "whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven."
The disciples were trying. They didn't always have things right and sometimes they didn't even have the purest of intentions. However, they got the chance to live and walk alongside Jesus Christ. (What a privelege!) So, if those who saw Him tangibly can screw things up so royally, how much more am I capable of?!
Looking at this passage challenges me to seek to ask the right questions. Just like the disciples, I want answers that will appease me. I want to know "why this?" or "what's that?" when it comes to the Kingdom and its Ruler. Yet, I have to ask myself, are those the right questions? Is my focus in the right place? I wonder how different Jesus' response might have been if the disciples asked, "How can we best serve Your kingdom?" Or "What can we do to help establish it in this place?"
So, although, I know I will continue to ask a lot of "wrong" questions, I'm extremely grateful to serve a God that takes time to place a lesson in front of me and gives me grace to try again. And try again I will...
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