People Are Not Easy to Love (no. 5)

No scripture to start today. I have tossed around a few scriptures today BUT nothing is moving me right now. Sometimes there is stillness. And that can be a problem. Sometimes we can feel like stillness is absence. I used to have that struggle when I was younger. Sometimes I felt like God was silent. BUT maybe He was just waiting on me.

It is really easy to follow God when He is present. I can think back to the exodus from Egypt and remember how quickly they complained when God was not taking care of every little problem along the journey. And sometimes I can get like that. I can rely too much on feeling like God is there over knowing that He is there.

I have a running experience of His action in my life. I have a constant relationship of Him taking care of things in His own time. And a lot of the time it’s not grand or theatrical or spectacular BUT it works. ANd sometimes I don’t feel His presence as strongly. BUT that does not mean He isn’t there. I do know that, as Paul wrote,“So we are always confident and know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. For we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:6-7 CSB). Faith is an action. Faith is my walk even when I cannot see Him right there. Faith is my walk even when I do not know the destination. Faith is action. Hope is my confidence.

So, I guess what I am saying today is that not every day has to be the same as all the others for me to continue walking. I don’t need a spectacular movement every day. I don’t need signs and wonders every day. I don’t need to feel something every day. I just need to keep walking. I need to remember to walk as He commands, “deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23 CSB).

Grace and Shalom to your home.

I love you. I forgive you. Have a blessed and abundant day!

#ThinkBetter #BeBetter #NoKingButChrist #EmbraceTheWithin #NotMyWayYHWH

People are Not Easy to Love (no. 4)

“If you died with Christ to the elements of this world, why do you live as if you still belonged to the world? Why do you submit to regulations: ‘Don’t handle, don’t taste, don’t touch’? All these regulations refer to what is destined to perish by being used up; they are human commands and doctrines. Although these have a reputation for wisdom by promoting self-made religion, false humility, and severe treatment of the body, they are not of any value in curbing self-indulgence” (Colossians 2:20-23 CSB).

Do we worry all the time about rules? I see it a lot around Christian groups. Is this a sin? Is there a rule about this? What do you think about this? When we should be asking God, when I should be asking God if I died to the world and am looking for Him? Only He can change my heart.

I get around to a few churches in my journeys and I hear a lot of rules that, to an outsider like me, make very little sense. Folks like rules though. I have my own list of rules of what I do and don’t do. I had a list of rules before and I do now as well. BUT rules never changed my heart. The only thing that has changed my heart is having a daily relationship with the Lord. And that might incorporate a routine and rules when you get started BUT a routine and rules is not going to keep you in the relationship. Only a dedication, a connection, a love for God is going to keep me invested in daily throwing myself into His service.

Rules and routines are a great place to start. Rules and routines establish the practice. BUT they are never going to change your heart. Only God can change my heart. And that means daily to, “. . . deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me and the gospel will save it” (Mark 8:34-35).

Grace and Shalom to your home.

I love you. I forgive you. Have a blessed and abundant day!

#ThinkBetter #BeBetter #NoKingButChrist #EmbraceTheWithin #NotMyWayYHWH