Today, I went to town to pick up some Milo. If you have no idea what Milo is, then you are missing out on some great chocolatey goodness. Yes: great goodness. Anyway, as I was coming back to the house and up the driveway, I forgot to put the truck in neutral before turning it off. When I got out, and as I was getting to the front door, my dad asked me, "You alright? What happened at the end there?" You see, because I forgot to switch gears, the car lurched a little before the engine stopped. "I, uh, forgot to put it in neutral."
Then, I thought about a recent, intentional series of lapses of mine in the area of holiness. I thought of the burden God has given me to make sure people like you and me (i.e. human beings) know the importance of being found by Jesus, the Christ, Savior of the world and Lord of all. I considered the efforts I have made thus far toward advancing God's kingdom, and their worth from an eternal perspective. I remembered the supreme satisfaction and joy that comes with doing exactly what God wants in a situation, and feeling his pleasure and support.
Still, I did what I did, embracing the emptiness of constant immediate self-gratification rather than the substance of abundant life. What is it to become all things to all people, to train people run the steeple chase, and then to stumble against the 200m hurdles? A shame is what it is. Who ever heard of a trainer who failed to reach the finish line?
The point? Finish well. Moses was raised up to be the leader of God's chosen people, rescuing them from slavery and teaching them the life-giving commandments of God. In spite of it all, the glorious escape from Egypt, the giving of the Ten Commandments, the rebellion and complaints of Israel, and the intercession and miracles on their behalf and for God's glory, he did not enter the Promised Land. Because of one disobedience, he was barred from the very goal set for the Israelites from the onset.
James 3:1 Let not many of you be teachers, my brothers, knowing that we will receive heavier judgment.
But, praise be to God,
1 John 2:1-2 My little children, I write these things to you so that you may not sin. If anyone sins, we have a Counselor with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous. And he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the whole world.
The long and short of it: Finish well. But if we trip during the race, God is definitely willing to help us, not casting us aside forever. After all, Moses and God were like friends. He buried Moses himself apparently.
Philippians 3:12-14 Not that I have already obtained, or am already made perfect; but I press on, if it is so that I may take hold of that for which also I was taken hold of by Christ Jesus.
Brothers, I don't regard myself as yet having taken hold, but one thing I do. Forgetting the things which are behind, and stretching forward to the things which are before,
I press on toward the goal for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Then, I thought about a recent, intentional series of lapses of mine in the area of holiness. I thought of the burden God has given me to make sure people like you and me (i.e. human beings) know the importance of being found by Jesus, the Christ, Savior of the world and Lord of all. I considered the efforts I have made thus far toward advancing God's kingdom, and their worth from an eternal perspective. I remembered the supreme satisfaction and joy that comes with doing exactly what God wants in a situation, and feeling his pleasure and support.
Still, I did what I did, embracing the emptiness of constant immediate self-gratification rather than the substance of abundant life. What is it to become all things to all people, to train people run the steeple chase, and then to stumble against the 200m hurdles? A shame is what it is. Who ever heard of a trainer who failed to reach the finish line?
The point? Finish well. Moses was raised up to be the leader of God's chosen people, rescuing them from slavery and teaching them the life-giving commandments of God. In spite of it all, the glorious escape from Egypt, the giving of the Ten Commandments, the rebellion and complaints of Israel, and the intercession and miracles on their behalf and for God's glory, he did not enter the Promised Land. Because of one disobedience, he was barred from the very goal set for the Israelites from the onset.
James 3:1 Let not many of you be teachers, my brothers, knowing that we will receive heavier judgment.
But, praise be to God,
1 John 2:1-2 My little children, I write these things to you so that you may not sin. If anyone sins, we have a Counselor with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous. And he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the whole world.
The long and short of it: Finish well. But if we trip during the race, God is definitely willing to help us, not casting us aside forever. After all, Moses and God were like friends. He buried Moses himself apparently.
Philippians 3:12-14 Not that I have already obtained, or am already made perfect; but I press on, if it is so that I may take hold of that for which also I was taken hold of by Christ Jesus.
Brothers, I don't regard myself as yet having taken hold, but one thing I do. Forgetting the things which are behind, and stretching forward to the things which are before,
I press on toward the goal for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
posted from Bloggeroid
