You probably didn't notice, but I have had a long hiatus from writing blogs. Primarily this is because I have had not had internet access since January of this year. Several generous friends have allowed me to use their laptops for short periods of time to clear my emails etc. To those bastions of generosity, I would like to formally give my thanks.
So this got me thinking.
The other day I wrote my first blog since the Great Hibernation. The response to this has been pleasing to me. A handful of people have "liked" it or even said it was "cool" and "interesting". I have even acquired another follower! 15 now! That has been very encouraging for me. I felt encouraged. I felt good about myself. Hooray.
This made me think about the story of the prodigal son. He was there, then he wasn't, then he came back. I think the most important part of the story is not the time before he left, nor the time he was away. I think the most important part of the story for me is when he came back. More specifically, how his father responded to him from the moment he first saw him.
The glimpse of encouragement we receive when someone likes us or likes our work etc... Is just a fraction of the emotion we would experience if we fully understood how much God loves us, and what his response is towards us when we "return" to him. Maybe we didn't really pray much for a few months. Maybe church has been a routine for a while. Maybe our bible has dust on it. The songs we sing aren't really being sung to anyone in particular. I'm sure you know what I mean. But the "cool" thing is, God doesn't hate us because we go off and do our own thing from time to time, He is there, waiting for you to turn around and go back to Him!
We are the ones who remember wrongs. We are the ones who don't forgive. We are the ones who judge others wrongly. We are the ones who hide. God does none of these. He forgets everything wrong that we have ever done, and he forgives us as soon as we ask. He always judges fairly and will never hide himself from us. If we would only look for him!
So, maybe tonight it's time to go back? Tell him where you've been and that you're sorry for ignoring him. Your body may have been doing all the right, nice looking religious things, but if your heart wasn't there, it was just empty actions. He will forgive you and forget your sins as quickly as you can click your fingers.
I hope you can forgive my sin of not having the internet. In this day and age this is something that deserves to be punished harshly, but I hope you will forgive. Unforgiveness is like swallowing poison and expecting the other person to die. You don't want to do that do you? ;)
Monday, August 30, 2010
Saturday, August 28, 2010
An Inconvenient Truth
I've been thinking about our culture of convenience lately. Our society tells us that if life is easier, we will be happier. And we believe this. All we need is the latest phone, the quickest checkout aisle, the fastest car, the microwave meal... It's all around us. While there is nothing wrong with these things in themselves, there is a problem when we rely on these things to make us happy. I have noticed a similarity with lust. Both convenience and lust say to us:
"I need a quicker, more powerful, bigger, cooler gadget, meal, experience, etc that does everything I want it to do. When I get what I want I will be satisfied."
It is the same principle as tying a carrot to a stick and dangling it in front of a donkey so that it will keep walking towards it. It never gets what it wants, but it keeps on going in the vain hope that it's desire will be met.
This is a trap.
Don't be a dumbass.
The bible tells us that those who want to keep their life, will ultimately lose it, but those who give their life up will ultimately receive life in it's fullest. That doesn't seem to make sense, but it's true!
It's my thesis that when we decide to inconvenience ourselves for someone else, our lives will be far better than they could ever have been if we had stayed on the convenience path. It's inconvenient, but it's true!
Convenience WILL NOT make your life better. It WILL NOT make YOU better! It might make it EASIER, but that's a different thing. I believe it is a lie. And when we believe lies, we are basically inviting the enemy into our lives to do what he wants. We are supposed to believe the truth. Convenience may make life easier in the short-term, and in our busy culture, many of us only think that far. But if you want your life to count, and you want the world to be a better place, you choosing to inconvenience yourself for others will go a long way.
People who get everything they want when they want become spoilt, overweight, lazy, selfish, complaining....etc
People who decide to put other's needs ahead of their own, will become, humble, healthy, motivated, selfless, thankful, loving...etc
I dare you to try. Use a little bit of faith and see what happens:)
It's inconvenient, but it's true!
"I need a quicker, more powerful, bigger, cooler gadget, meal, experience, etc that does everything I want it to do. When I get what I want I will be satisfied."
It is the same principle as tying a carrot to a stick and dangling it in front of a donkey so that it will keep walking towards it. It never gets what it wants, but it keeps on going in the vain hope that it's desire will be met.
This is a trap.
Don't be a dumbass.
The bible tells us that those who want to keep their life, will ultimately lose it, but those who give their life up will ultimately receive life in it's fullest. That doesn't seem to make sense, but it's true!
It's my thesis that when we decide to inconvenience ourselves for someone else, our lives will be far better than they could ever have been if we had stayed on the convenience path. It's inconvenient, but it's true!
Convenience WILL NOT make your life better. It WILL NOT make YOU better! It might make it EASIER, but that's a different thing. I believe it is a lie. And when we believe lies, we are basically inviting the enemy into our lives to do what he wants. We are supposed to believe the truth. Convenience may make life easier in the short-term, and in our busy culture, many of us only think that far. But if you want your life to count, and you want the world to be a better place, you choosing to inconvenience yourself for others will go a long way.
People who get everything they want when they want become spoilt, overweight, lazy, selfish, complaining....etc
People who decide to put other's needs ahead of their own, will become, humble, healthy, motivated, selfless, thankful, loving...etc
I dare you to try. Use a little bit of faith and see what happens:)
It's inconvenient, but it's true!
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