What can you expect? Straight talk, laughable humor, real truth, simple living, and passionate yearning...
all regarding the God that still involves Himself in the details of the lives of His people
A calling to write what He leads, no matter how uncomfortable...
Because simple daily Christian living is never what we thought it would be
Even after the Lord’s death, resurrection, proof of resurrection through undeniable appearance …this man, this in-the-flesh-follower of Jesus Christ sometimes, often times, seemed to struggle with his faith. His later years, though in great devotion and mission to his now spiritual (no longer physical) Lord, were sporadically filled with debates leading to arguments, divisions, temper tantrums, miss-interpreted assignments, segregated devotion to a certain kind of people, and just plain bull-headedness. Today we would certainly recommend this guy to a few sessions of anger management and conflict resolution method classes. The point is that although this follower of Christ was certainly one of the greats… he was certainly greatly flawed.
A Clear View of Christ through the Faulty Me
My husband and I read two separate passages this morning, yet both seemed to state the same theme. Now some of you will holler “coincidence”, but I know what I felt…and better yet, I know my Lord…and He is certainly no God of things just happening to happen. He is a God of purpose…us. Everything He does, He does with great care and concern for His people. No, I’m not talking about the saved. I’m talking about all of those whom He molded in His fingertips and then blew life into from the depths of Himself. I’m talking about all of us. I’m talking about me and I’m talking about you and I’m talking about the ones we have never heard about. He loves us all. So, this morning when two very different passages, two very different times in history, two very different Biblical characters brought home the same message to, two very different people sitting at the same dining room table drinking very different coffee…well, we thought we better pay some heed.
One of us read about a great disciple. So great in fact that the physical closeness He had to Christ still makes an impression on us today. This man loved the Lord…truly loved the Lord, and yet…when tested, He failed…miserably. He was a man of determination and physical strength; a man of courage and utmost spoken devotion. Still, over and over when the Lord tested his real faith, this great disciple sank while focusing on himself, or proved spineless and ran like a little coward…hiding and lying to save his own skin. His depth of faith and conviction proved to be shallow.
Even after the Lord’s death, resurrection, proof of resurrection through undeniable appearance …this man, this in-the-flesh-follower of Jesus Christ sometimes, often times, seemed to struggle with his faith. His later years, though in great devotion and mission to his now spiritual (no longer physical) Lord, were sporadically filled with debates leading to arguments, divisions, temper tantrums, miss-interpreted assignments, segregated devotion to a certain kind of people, and just plain bull-headedness. Today we would certainly recommend this guy to a few sessions of anger management and conflict resolution method classes. The point is that although this follower of Christ was certainly one of the greats… he was certainly greatly flawed.
The other of us read about a great prophet. Now this guy was the top of the top. He could hear God and understand in detail just what it was that God wanted him to do. He had faith and courage and stamina to accomplish the task at hand. Whole battles, whole armies, whole cities collapsed under his Man-of-God authority. He laughed in the face of great odds, while believing that God would do something right in front of him to prove his words and turn the balance. And, when things seemed absolutely unconquerable…this is the guy that God used as a vessel to get the job done. Alters, sacrifices with no fire, slain demi-god priests, mad dictators, “no-rain-until-my-command” type authoritative words…this guy was amazing.
Yet, God had to search him out, guide and feed him while he was running…yes literally running away from one woman. This same man, who pulled up his skirt and wrapped it between his legs, and ran with the hand of God supporting his physical body (to outrun a chariot of well-bred horses) all the way back to a city…this man, heard the angry ranting of a single woman and forgot himself…and the strength of the God who had led him there…then slipped out the back to hide. Now, that is a long sentence to demonstrate that more than one top character of the Bible has significant faults.
How are you strong? Let’s take a minute and outline all the things that make you spiritually fantastic. Have you forsaken anything in pursuit of the King? Have you battled with His enemies and been victorious? Have you found the courage to stand for something or against something in His name and for His sake? Have you said yes to what was right, or no to what was wrong for the sake of righteousness? Have you sacrificed on your knees…laying all that you have and all that you are before Him…showing the Lord your contrite heart? Have you treated others with a love that only comes from Him? Have you loved the undeserving? Have you stood in the gap for someone? Have you felt the power and courage of God holding up your body to do the very things that He has asked you to do? My, oh my…you are certainly the tops!
And then, how are you faulty? (Please be careful. Satan is always trying to creep in and take hold. If your faith is frail right now, make sure to wrap yourself in the strength of the Lord through strong scripture and intimate devotion before opening yourself to such a revealing question.) Then, if you are ready to hear the voice of the Lord saying, “My servant…what in the world are you doing…and why in the world are you here…hiding in the shadows”, then go ahead…search out the answer. Who are you running from or avoiding in the church or your family? What situation is teaching you the skills of avoidance? What issues of the heart are you pretending do not exist? What character-trait within you are you constantly making excuses for? How are you faulty? And, what brave and bold action should you take today, under the Lord’s care, to turn the balance?
Upon inspection, what is revealed?
Are you in the prime of your faith, but God is pointing out something about your faulty character? Does He want you to change? Have you become content with your spiritual strengths, but God is not?
Are you hiding in the shadows because the pressures of your current situation are fearful and you have forgotten the strength of your faith? Do you feel beaten, defeated, depressed, or hopeless? Have you become blind to the wonders that God has performed in your life before? Are you unable to see the amazing creature of faith you really are? Do you need reminding that God is with you?
Or, are you a mix of both…like the disciple and the prophet that my husband and I read about early today? You can half remember your strength, and you certainly can recall all the things that God has done for you…but you are afraid to come out of hiding. Things are just too embarrassing, too painful, too exhausting?
God, I know my weaknesses, not just my sins, but my personality flaws and natural default modes.
I see where I am again, and I am no happier about it than You are.
Forgive me Lord for being weaker than I should be, for not being as courageous as I could be, for not moving as fast as a racing horse…for not trusting in Your support.
To answer Your question, I’m not sure why I am here…maybe these people or this place is just familiar.
Maybe I am just afraid.
But I refuse to let these faults define me.
I do not want me to be the best me I can be.
I want to become the one You envisioned when You created me.
So Lord, here we go…I’m ready to try again…to walk on water, to find a solution to the woundings in the church, to face that crazy lady, to come out of the cave and stand in Your Light…
No matter where we currently are, it is important that we continually ask God to make us truly aware of ourselves…
so that obstacles can be overcome or removed…
so that we become perfectly transparent…
so that others can gain a clear view of Christ through us.
In obedience
Rhonda D Loucks