Thought for Monday, July 2nd

July 2, 2012

It’s About What?

What is your spiritual life all about?

Is it about a relationship or is it about a duty and obligation?

It would seem for many of those, even those who attend services ‘religiously’ that there is more a sense of fulfilling a requirement of being a Christian, rather than desiring to deepen and cultivate  a relationship with the very one who made it possible for us to become Christians in the first place.

If a Sunday morning one hour experience is the sum total of your entire investment in your spiritual life, you are missing out on what God really wants for you.  Even if your spiritual experiences are more extensive but they have become so rote and ritualistic that they can be done without conscience thought or the need to be attentive – they have become shallow and empty without the full meaning that they could posses.

A real life of spiritual growth requires attention, reflection and a willingness to move with God and experience new and sometimes different things so as to allow for the opportunity for growth and enrichment, as well as maturation in our spirituality. 

There is nothing wrong with what we did that got us to where we are but we mustn’t allow ourselves to stagnate and stop growing in our experiences and relationship with our Creator.

And we mustn’t forget the true purpose we continue to occupy this time and space; and that is to make disciples, to share God’s love and to spread the truth of God’s mercy, grace and salvation to a lost and dying world.

Paul said I have become all things to all men that I might win some of them.  In a world that constantly changes we need to be open to allow God’s Spirit to empower and enable us to become what is needed to reach a world in need.

“There are only two forces in the world, the sword and the spirit.  In the long run the sword will always be conquered by the spirit.”

-       Napoleon Bonaparte

We can fight God’s spirit with the sword of our will and disobedience, but if we want to be truly successful and have the greatest relationship that is possible with Him, we must yield to His Spirit and He must be what our life is all about.

Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,) Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:  By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name:  Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ: To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.  First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers;  Making request, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you. For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established; That is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.

Romans 1:1-12

   For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.  And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law. To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.

1 Corinthians 9:19-23

So what is it all about for you?

Is it about you and your comfort or is it about Him and His will?

He’s leaving it up to you – you must decide what you’re going to do and what you want your spiritual life to be about.

Today’s Prayer

Father, you’re greater than the greatest, higher than the highest and more wonderful and anything I can imagine: I want my life to be for you and about you so that your work and your will can be accomplished, even if it takes me outside my comfort zone or beyond my experiences to this point.  Give me strength, boldness, braveness and willingness to dare to go wherever you may lead.

“When the music fades
All is stripped away
And I simply come
Longing just to bring
Something that's of worth
That will bless Your heart
I'll bring You more than a song
For a song in itself
Is not what You have required
You search much deeper within
Through the way things appear
You're looking into my heart
I'm coming back to the heart of worship
And it's all about You,
It's all about You, Jesus
I'm sorry, Lord, for the thing I've made it
When it's all about You,
It's all about You, Jesus “

-  Lyrics from ‘Heart of Worship’ by Matt Redman