These last few weeks have been crazy. So busy with school and life and extras (it's getting to be a bit stressful). But one of the coolest parts in these weeks happened yesterday.
We have this program that encourages students to think more deeply about life and truth. They go away for the weekend and open up and share with each other. Even though this event is only for high schoolers (and I teach middle school), I was invited to lead a section of the weekend called The Hootenanny. Really fun.
One of the skits that we did was about a girl who had invited Him to take the wheel (I know, flashes of Carrie Underwood just traveled through all y'all's minds). Even though the girl had originally asked him to come, she kept pushing him out of the driver's seat when something "more exciting" came along.
As I was watching this skit, I felt like a hypocrite. How many times do I take over instead of letting him be in control? 'Far too many' is the answer to that question.
It seems that I am living two different lives: the life that he wants where everything is good and pure and it is easy to do the right thing, and the life of selfish disobedience where I choose to take control of my own life and immediately run it into the ground. But then I remember what I honestly want - to follow him. I abdicate and allow him to rule, only to snatch power back when I see difficulty coming.
Stupid old man within me. Why can't he stay dead?
. . .a taste of life for an expat in qingdao, china
Showing posts with label faith. Show all posts
Showing posts with label faith. Show all posts
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Monday, August 1, 2011
Chapter 12: On Stingrays, Forgetfulness, and Heart Conditions
For the last few months, I have known that God has been wanting to teach me a lesson. This topic has come up again and again, and each time it is brought to my attention, I listen for a moment and say to myself, 'Hmm. I really need to study this more.' Yet I keep putting it off.
Yesterday this message slapped me in the face like a cold stingray in the marketplace. And I do not want to ignore it any longer.
The message is this: Remember. Remember how good and merciful and powerful and sovereign and generous and wrathful and lavish He is. Remember that you are no more than a speck, yet you are placed on level with the very Son of God himself as an heir to an inheritance greater than gold. Remember that he has done and will continue to do wondrous works as a way to draw people closer. Remember that he only asks us to change because his way is always better.
How often do I feel like an Israelite who sees amazing things done by a living being then goes running off to worship dead objects of wood or stone? In case you're wondering the answer is far too often. It's like I seem to choose the things that are lesser instead of the things that are greater.
This is a very serious heart condition (enter the corny analogy). I'm feeling that I need to change my diet (word) and exercise (lifestyle) routine in order to avoid a violent and painful downfall in the future. And even still - even after knowing the remedy - I am sure that I will continue to play the fool. I will eventually go back to the things which are death to me and hold them as a child holds a pet.
One of the most amazing things about God is that his forgiveness is an overflowing and bottomless spring that will continue to blot out my foolishness, unfaithfulness, and forgetfulness.
Yesterday this message slapped me in the face like a cold stingray in the marketplace. And I do not want to ignore it any longer.
The message is this: Remember. Remember how good and merciful and powerful and sovereign and generous and wrathful and lavish He is. Remember that you are no more than a speck, yet you are placed on level with the very Son of God himself as an heir to an inheritance greater than gold. Remember that he has done and will continue to do wondrous works as a way to draw people closer. Remember that he only asks us to change because his way is always better.
How often do I feel like an Israelite who sees amazing things done by a living being then goes running off to worship dead objects of wood or stone? In case you're wondering the answer is far too often. It's like I seem to choose the things that are lesser instead of the things that are greater.
This is a very serious heart condition (enter the corny analogy). I'm feeling that I need to change my diet (word) and exercise (lifestyle) routine in order to avoid a violent and painful downfall in the future. And even still - even after knowing the remedy - I am sure that I will continue to play the fool. I will eventually go back to the things which are death to me and hold them as a child holds a pet.
One of the most amazing things about God is that his forgiveness is an overflowing and bottomless spring that will continue to blot out my foolishness, unfaithfulness, and forgetfulness.
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