There is a lot of sickness going around lately-strep throat, colds, stomach flu and just about everything else you can think of. It has made me a little paranoid as I spend time here at the church (especially about the stomach flu-no repeated projectile vomiting for me please!) It has caused me to be cautious as I interact with people and to limit my contact with them. I have also now developed a habit of using Germ-X every time I walk by the bottle in the lobby. I have literally used that stuff at least 20-30 times since Sunday night. I am so worried about the doors that I am touching and the desire to not be sick that I don't want to take any chances at all.
As I read in James 4 this morning, I wondered why I don't take that same approach to sin. I should be concerned with avoiding sin and doing whatever I can to cleanse myself, but I get lazy with my discipline and find myself sick spiritually. What would happen if I was that adamant about staying clean and being with God? How different would my spiritual health be? What impact could I have in my family and in ministry if I was that devoted to God and less addicted to sin?
Come near to God and He will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up. James 4:8-10
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Friday, March 5, 2010
Be Careful What You Wish For
I shared a quote on my Facebook & Twitter today from C.S. Lewis-"I don't want my image of God, I want God." While that quote sounds good, and it is easy to "like" it, we might want to be a little careful of what we wish for.
When God reveals who He is to us, we cannot remain the same. God is not someone to be trifled with. He is compassionate and loving, but also great and powerful. The honest truth is that an interaction with God will ruin us for this life as we start to see the potential of life with Him. There are no stories of people coming into contact with God and remaining the same.
Scripture is clear that when we honestly seek God, He will reveal Himself to us. Once we see ourselves in His light we can't reconcile who we once were with who we need to be. We are faced with a choice-to allow Him to change us into a new creation or to turn our back on Him and follow a path that will ultimately lead to our own destruction.
When God reveals who He is to us, we cannot remain the same. God is not someone to be trifled with. He is compassionate and loving, but also great and powerful. The honest truth is that an interaction with God will ruin us for this life as we start to see the potential of life with Him. There are no stories of people coming into contact with God and remaining the same.
Scripture is clear that when we honestly seek God, He will reveal Himself to us. Once we see ourselves in His light we can't reconcile who we once were with who we need to be. We are faced with a choice-to allow Him to change us into a new creation or to turn our back on Him and follow a path that will ultimately lead to our own destruction.
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