Psalm 5; Jeremiah 18:1-11; Romans 8:1-11; John 6:27-40; Psalm 27
Reading these scriptures through Lent, I am reminded that God wants God's way with me. Lent is a time people often give up something. I see it as a time to give up, period. Not on life or on myself. But to give myself up to God. God, the Potter, who will eventually have His way with me anyway, one way or the other. To give up my flesh - those desires that usually lead me astray, one way or the other. To give up being perfect and pleasing everyone, in one way or the other. To give myself over to the One who will supply for everything - not everything I want to be happy in this life, but everything I need to be God's gal forever. Lent is a time for me to stop living "in the flesh", and think about the Spirit who wants His way with me. "Set the mind on the Spirit" as Paul says.
Well, half way through Lent I'm hear to say, that ain't so easy. A girl's gotta eat. A girl's gotta shop, and sweat and make love and clean house and, well, the body must go on working. We live life "in the flesh" don't we? We work it out, if you will. So what does God mean, live in the Spirit?
John gives me a clue. The "work" we do in the spirit is to believe. And the good news is, the Spirit in us is already doing the work of faith. Our work is to believe in the One who brought us to God, perfect and whole and forgiven, as new vessels. To believe in Jesus, who came from God to shape us and to mold us and present us unblemished to God. It's a miracle, and it has a great outcome for us and for God if we give ourselves up to the process. We need not miss the reworking, if we think on the Spirit. Our "work, " is to let the Spirit exercise our mind and will around His Spirit: to think about the Spirit. And if we are not even thinking about the mystery of God, what we believe, in Whom we believe, then we remain living in the flesh, sweating over what we will eat, how we will get our way, putting energy into satisfying our cravings, hooking our wagon to "certainty" and reason, and becoming a vessel that isn't suitable for the Spiirt anymore. One way or the other, God will have God's way with us - smashing our desires and insatiable quest for knowledge and power, reworking us (Jeremiah), sooner or later. As I see it, that means there are consequences for us who think only on what we have made of ourselves and for ourselves.
And there is great joy and satisfaction, when we let our minds wander toward God, and visualize the beautiful vessel God intends to dwell - when we fix our minds on the Potter, not the clay. And excuse the mixed metaphors, but when we seek food that will fill us in eternity: the Potter's Spirit and the promise of eternal life.
This goes for the church - God is reworking this outworn and misshapen institution to be the true representation of HIS Kingdom, not ours. It will look very different than the church that offers only what satisfies the members, and preserves until death outdated programs that aren't reaching people anymore. God will smash down the doors that keep people out. If we pay attention to the Spirit - Who is alive in us and in the church - we will have the joy and privilege of participating in the mind of the Spirit and the Kingdom that has come.
Now that's worth giving up everything for.
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3 comments:
I'm doing a bible study in class. Yesterday I read something that really took me.
I have been thinging about what God wants out of me in the future. I have been asking "What is God's plan for my life?" I have learned that it really doesn't matter. Before I get the the furture I have to serve God in the presant. God has put me where I am for a reason. He has given me opportunities to grow and share with others. God wants his way with me, like you said. He wants me to jump him now and trust him in the now not later.
I know he has a purpose for my life. I know that he wants me to be with him. I know that when I don't quite follow what he is telling me he will take my mistakes and make them helpful to his purpose.
hey Emily - That's great thinking. God does have a plan for your life(sounds like a book title) but it's true. And I'm interested in seeing what you discover every day about what God is up to in your life. Little things God might throw your way to be used. It's all part of the plan that has already been put in place. Work it,darlin'.
instead I sould be asking what is God's plan?!
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