I saw a sign the other day while driving. It read "God's will is not so much an itinerary as it is an attitude." While I understand where the writer is coming from, there are certain aspects of God's will that are an itinerary. The itinerary, however, comes about through the attitude and grace of God. After all, we are nothing apart from Him. There is absolutely nothing I can do, in and of myself, that would cause me to be "salt and light" to a desperate world. There is nothing in me, apart from the Holy Spirit, that would cause me to lay down my own agenda and take up God's agenda each day. Apart from Him, I would never involve myself in the messiness of another's life or listen for hours and help them sort through all the negative emotions and fill their ears with the truth of God's Word. Nothing that would cause me to rise any earlier than I normally would so that I could pray for someone else. There is nothing of any value in my flesh--its weak and lazy and selfish. But for the grace of God, who leads me and brings me from glory to glory. I am able to do all things through Christ who strengthens me!
I met an "atheist" this week and as we chatted casually, he commented on the cross around my neck and commented that "Surely, you are far too intelligent to be a Believer." It struck me as a funny comment and being quick-witted, I replied, "surely, I am far too intelligent NOT to be." As the conversation continued, it occurred to me that though He calls himself an atheist, he is nothing more than a person who is sick-to-death of organized religion and hypocrisy. He is nothing more than a person who has been offended and who is in desperate need of something real-- Something, or someone, whom I happen to know... While I could not promise him no hypocrisy--after all, we all fall short of the glory of God, I could promise him that the God of the Bible (which he had on his mantle) and the person of Jesus Christ are very real and that they are as active and relevant today as they have ever been.
Was it God's itinerary for me to be in that place, at that time? I think so...
Father, in the name of Jesus and through Your grace, I ask that You would help me to always follow Your agenda. I pray that You would not only guide my feet, but purify my heart. Remove all that would hinder me from being true to You and Your calling over my life. And Lord, please grant my new friend the grace to believe and the grace to accept Your free gift, extended to him. You said You would rather we be hot or cold, than lukewarm. Father, his heart is cold toward you right now, I pray that you would set it ablaze. In the name of Jesus. Amen
No comments:
Post a Comment