The Rational Rabbit Hole no. 9

Show us Your lovingkindness, O Lord,

And grant us Your salvation.

I will hear [with expectant hope] what God the Lord will say,

For He will speak peace to His people, to His [a]godly ones—

But let them not turn again to folly.

Surely His salvation is near to those who [reverently] fear Him [and obey Him with submissive wonder],

That glory [the manifest presence of God] may dwell in our land.

Steadfast love and truth and faithfulness meet together;

Righteousness and peace kiss each other.

Truth springs from the earth,

And righteousness looks down from heaven.

Indeed, the Lord will give what is good,

And our land will yield its produce.

Righteousness will go before Him

And will make His footsteps into a way [in which to walk].

Psalm 85: 7-13 AMP

Embrace the Within.

Loving something is learning about that one thing. If I love something, I study all about that thing until I exhaust myself in learning about it. I find videos, books, listen to podcasts, talk to others interested in that thing, connect my thoughts and knowledge with theirs, and find a deeper understanding of that thing as I go through life. I don’t just look at that information once and then figure I have it understood. Likewise with the people I love. I spend a lot of time with the people I love. I try to understand them. I use my knowledge of them and myself to help enrich those relationships. I don’t just meet them once and that is enough.

I think a lot of our love for God is cursory. It’s a nice thing to say we have when it’s convenient. It’s nice to be a Christian at church or on religious holidays or when a government decision goes the way of Law. It’s easy to pull out our Jesus hat and our scripture pad and post a little verse that shows we have a cursory knowledge of The Bible BUT it doesn’t show anything about loving God. Because if we loved God, we’d be spending a lot more time learning, studying, listening, reading, and talking about God. God wouldn’t be a t-shirt or hat that we could change into. God wouldn’t be a fashion that gets worn on Sunday. God wouldn’t be something that we hide until it is convenient for us. Love is all about being so interested, so enamored, so preoccupied with that one thing that folks recognize that you are in love.

Many of us remember when we fell in love and how our friends noticed immediately that we were in love. Has anyone noticed that you are in love with God recently? Has anyone mentioned that they notice your interest in God? Has anyone been concerned about your interest in being like Christ? If they haven’t, then maybe it is time to see if that love is still burning? Maybe it’s time to fall back in love with God all the time?

Bless your body, mind, and spirit. Have the day you want. I hope you find whatever you’re looking for.

#ThinkBetter #BeBetter #NoGodsNoMasters #MyBodyMyChoice #MakeYourselfGreatAgain #EmbracetheWithin

The Rational Rabbit Hole no. 8

“For by the grace [of God] given to me I say to everyone of you not to think more highly of himself [and of his importance and ability] than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has apportioned to each a degree of faith [and a purpose designed for service].”

Romans 12:3 AMP Embrace the Within.

I tend to fall into the category of feeling better than those around me. Why not feel better when you are putting in the work? Why not feel better when you are doing what others choose to not do? And I think the idea of humility is important to face. Everyone has their level of responsibility to themselves in doing what they need to find the Kingdom BUT it doesn’t mean that I need to feel disdain for those that are doing the best they can with what they have. To not think more highly of myself that I wouldn’t help those around me is the problem with this haughty nature.

And I do my best to keep a humble attitude despite where I am today because I am still connected to my roots. I remember the times that I had nothing. I grew up through the economic instability of America in the ‘80s. I struggled to get myself through college and pay off those student loans. There were times when I ate some of the cheapest meals and relied on the charity of others to make it through. There were times when I had very little BUT I still survived. And I will never forget those times and obstacles that led me to where I am today.

Maybe that isn’t your life. Maybe you never struggled. Maybe life has been easy. I somehow doubt that even if outwardly others see your life that way. I think a lot of people see my life outwardly as that as well. We all have our own obstacles and struggles in life that give us a chance to reflect on where we were and where we can go. We need to remain connected, I need to remain connected and grounded on that fact. That no matter what I achieve, no matter how easy my life may look, I am only this far because of God’s grace and mercy.

Right now my service is studying and writing about those applications to my life BUT I don’t see that calling as anything special. I don’t look upon my position as more important in the work of God than any other. We all have our role in this discipleship. We all have our role in this ministry. We all have our part. Have you found your part?

Bless your body, mind, and spirit. Have the day you want. I hope you find whatever you’re looking for.

#ThinkBetter #BeBetter #NoGodsNoMasters #MyBodyMyChoice #MakeYourselfGreatAgain #EmbracetheWithin