Sacrifice
Sacrifice is something that I am finding out more and more that I know nothing about these days. With internet and email and cell phones nearly the whole world is at my finger tips. Gone from my eyes are struggles where my life is uncomfortable and difficult. What have I had to give up, because of what I have chosen to do or to be. Better yet what have I chosen to give up so that Christ might be better known among the nations?
With the Easter season upon us Christ's sacrifice looms greatly in my life. I wonder if my relationship with God is missing something because I don't sacrifice so much these days. Is there a depth of love and understanding that only comes from choosing to sacrifice before a holy God of love?
Addendum...
One thing I have noticed more and more recently that is hard for us to sacrifice is our family. With the little one on the way, Sarah and I crave more and more to share this experience with our parents and families. But Paul's testimony rings true in my ears,
"I consider everything a loss, compared to the surprassing greatness to knowing Christ Jesus my Lord"
This is something that has always stumped me. Not the "conform" part but the "any longer" part.
For me it has always been easy to not conform to the things of this world that are clearly not part of God's plan or will. God's word is very clear on those kind of blatent issues that are so easily prevelent in our society today.
What I have to deal with so much in my life is those kind of "any longer" kind of issues or those things that have krept into my life and haven't even noticed them. This year being in a new environment I have been able to deal with some of those kind of issues again in my life. It is amazing the things that have been a part of your life for so long that they don't really need to be there any more. Things like the television or maybe even that computer (I can't believe I just said this...).
The changes in the scenery of my life have really encouraged me to to reevaluate who I am and let me make some changes in things that I otherwise might not have noticed.
Here I am feeling very paternal with my son on my chest...
Be Transformed…
As I was reading in Hebrews 11, I saw that it had a lot to say about being transformed. Unfortunately it sounds much like a process that I would not want to endure. The author of Hebrews is telling us that to be different that we must undergo the discipline of God. Through this process is what transforms us into who we were originally created to be. All to often we shrink back from that kind of interaction with God because it is unpleasant. But the inspired author here tells us to do something completely different…
We are to enjoy this hardship, this discipline because is a sign that God loves us. It is a sign that he loves us as sons and daughters. He loves us enough that he cares who we become in this life. He loves us enough to call us to be children of God.
My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, the Lord disciplines those he loves and punishes everyone he accepts as a son ~ The Author of Hebrews quoting a Proverb
First baby Picture ~ he is already shaking his fist at the world
The Renewing of Your Mind
For me these days, this concept has been something that I have had to do as a daily task. As I wake from what seems to be a moments rest, I have seen day after day that my normal inclination is not so seek after what God's wants me to do but to do what comes naturally, usually go back to sleep.
As I look at my life that is often what I struggle with, because what comes naturally is often what comes first and is so easy. After I struggle through the first impression that appears on the scope of my mind, I have found that it is usually quite easy for me to go on to make the right choice.
It is this struggle, the struggle of the first impression, where the heart of the concept of renewing your mind takes place. The renewing takes place as we struggle and fight through those first impressions to find out really who God wants us to be at that moment in time.
Prayer Lord I as that you never give me peace in this life, when I am not struggling through the process of renewing of my mind. Lord long for the day when I get to stand in your presence and that struggle will be no more because my first thought will be your thought and my heart will run after you like nothing I have ever seen or heard.
Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought,
These last few days, weeks have been really hard. Before these last few fleeting moments when our lives when everything has been upside down, I have struggled to find myself in a place where I am broken enough to hear God's word. These days I am all to often in a place where I am broken and contrite before God. Something about being in a situation where I am completely and udderly incapable about doing anything about, just forces me to rely upon God. Thus this has been the lesson that I have found to be so true. I am not the one who won the battle it was God's fight all along. Thus the glory goes all to him...
From Psalm 100...Know that the LORD is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.
Ezra enjoying a simple suck...
As I read this passage I wonder what it means to belong to the all the others. All of my life I have strived to be independent and self supporting, which for me comes from my desire not to be a burden on anyone. At first glance, that concept doesn't look so bad, but I wonder if it is keeping me from seeing or experiencing something Christ has designed for me.
As I read the letter to the Corinthians, I learn that as individual we are designed by God to complete each other. We are created to interconnect with each other so much that through our joined lives we reveal the one who created us.
Today let me not think of myself as my own but let me see myself as belonging to those who are around me so much that all of what I do creates a joining and interdependency that reveals Christ to all whom I meet.
here is Sarah and Grandma Gracey holding Ezra
Being back in the states for a little while now I am starting to notice a disturbing pattern. Seeing how some people interact in the states I wonder what it mean's to be christian in our world today. So many people claim to be christians, from the winners of the Emmeys, to people with christian bumper stickers, and all of those people with christian t-shirts.
What in the world are we communicating to the people around us if they know we are christians because of what is on our car, or on our shirt, or what we say in front of people on tv. What are we teaching to following generation of believers by espousing this kind of christianity. Christianity in public America seems to be stuck on focusing what is on the outside, thus there is this annoying brand of quasi christianity floating around these days.
Let us not forget the teachings of the one we seek to follow every day of our lives "they will know us by our love" not our t-shirts.
I thought these t-shirts were a little wierd...
Over the past couple days, I have been able hang out with my parents. I have really enjoyed spending time with them and I look forward to see the rest of my family over the holidays. I have been able to see sincere love in action, up close.
My mom has been pretty sick for the last couple weeks and she has been very slow to recover. But dad has been there to care and nuture her. He has been a great example to me about what a loving, caring husband looks like.
It has been in last couple years when I have begun to understand what it means to have sincere love. I think for a while I have had a "have to do it" love or a love based on what I thought I should do. While much of our actions could be rooted in those kind of thoughts, love rooted only in what you think you should do will never last.
The love that God has showed us is a sincere love based on a desire to actually serve that individual or put their needs in front of your own desires. From what I have seem, this love can only origionate outside this life, in something or someone greater then who we are. In my life, this love has been easy to see since we have had our first child. It is true there is nothing I wouldn't do for him. What a great priveledge to be called sons and daughters of God. It is true, there isn't anything he won't do for us.
enjoy the picture of us.
we covet your prayers for my mom...
