my selfishness leads to fear

I was reading in Hebrews 11, and going through it, it's a great testimony to fathers of the faith that have come before us. Many of these individuals trusted and lived by faith. They did not necessarily see or receive their reward, or get to interact with Jesus, but they trusted in Him as the Hope to come. These men and women knew they were not in a country of their own,

"Instead, they were longing for a better country--a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them." (Hebrews 11:16)

The trust in the promise was enough for them to not fear losing their earthly life. That is encouragement to me!

To be able to have faith and trust like these men and women who provided great examples..."Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him." (Isaiah 64:4)

"who acts on behalf of those who wait for him..."

I often want purpose and meaning in my work and what I set out in life to do. To worry about that not happening is fear.

But that's just it. I'm being selfish with this. I want my purpose and meaning accomplished. Rather than God's kingdom come, and His glory to be revealed to all nations. For that to happen, I need to wait on Him better, and know that my purpose is found in trusting in the Lord's ways, His timing, and not my own.

burning with a passion for Jesus

This song, among others, by Shane and Shane (who rock by the way) has been getting me to think.

What does it look like to burn with a passion for Jesus, today, in America, in 2009?

I don't necessarily have the answer, but I do want to burn on the inside.

Holy design
this place in time
that i might seek and find my God
my God

Lord i want to yearn for You
i want to burn with passion
over You and only You
Lord i want to yearn

Your joy is mine
yet why am i fine
with all my singing and bringing grain
in light of Him

oh You give life and breath
through Him You give all things
in Him we live and move
that's why i sing

"And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. 'For in him we live and move and have our being.' As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring." (Acts 17:25-28 NIV)

"Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our "God is a consuming fire." (Hebrews 12:28-29 NIV)

the deficit view, not the way Christ sees it

I posted not too long ago about wondering how Christ sees things, and wanting vision more like Him. That post is here.

Well, I think I might understand a bit better how He does NOT see things.

We were studying some aspects of education, and there was the realization that policy makers first "identify problems," and then craft their solution accordingly to "fix that problem." In essence, it is a deficit view. You come at something realizing it's broken, needs fixing, and then proceed from there.

I was reading in Hebrews, and the context is where the text talks about the New Covenant. Not one of laws and regulations, but one of Christ, who paid for all sins by His suffering on the cross. The verse that hit me was

"The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says: "This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds."Then he adds: "Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more."And where these have been forgiven, there is no longer any sacrifice for sin. Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus..."(Hebrews 9:15-19 NIV)

"I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds..."

It's as if the Truth is on every one of our hearts and minds already. Sinners around the earth already have Truth engraved in them, whether they like it or not, or acknowledge it or not.

I think God sees in us deeply and most clearly the Truth He has written in our hearts. Some of that may be obscured sometimes by our flesh and evil acts (Romans 7)...but Jesus sees the beauty of His laws and Truth in us.

Getting at understanding this, I think it's a model for us to look at and love others. Christ's compassion on us is that Truth is already on our hearts. He affords us the immeasurable and amazing grace to "Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more."

relativisim

In our modern-day culture, how do we grade, or consider our position or standing in life? If things are great, sad, we're rich, we're poor, we're smart or dumb, pretty or fat...how do we determine those things?

Don't we look at other people and compare? If I lived in a society where I weighed 350 pounds, but I looked around, and everyone around me was 500 pounds or more, I'd think I'm super-skinny, moms would want to constantly feed me and tell me I needed to thin out.

My point is, doing relative comparisons, and using other people as the measure, is a dangerous slope to be on I think while seeking to walk with and bring honor and glory to Jesus.

Husbands shouldn't look to other men and consider how they're doing in their marriages, and then decide if he's doing ok or poorly in his own marriage. Couples shouldn't consider how other couples interact and love and honor each other.

As followers of Christ, we have an absolute standard that we need to look to, and if you feel the need, to measure yourself.

Jesus is that absolute standard. As such, husbands should consider how Christ acted as a husband. Couples should consider how, in reality, Christ was in communion with the Father and Holy Spirit, and realize that a marriage is a three part relationship.

Now, you might think, attaining an absolute level like Christ is impossible. Yes, I agree. Attaining Christ's perfection is incompatible with the sinful, depraved human beings we are. But, it doesn't mean we shouldn't try.

Jesus is completely perfect. We should attempt to live as holy a life as He did. In doing so, it's important to realize that we will never live up to His absolute standard of perfection. That shouldn't stop us from trying. His perfect grace makes up for the shortcomings that hinder that attainment of absolute perfection.

Peter writes (NASB):
"For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps,WHO COMMITTED NO SIN, NOR WAS ANY DECEIT FOUND IN HIS MOUTH; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.
Paul puts forth at various points in the New Testament (all NIV)" (1 Peter 2: 21-25)

and Paul writes (NIV):

"Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me." (Phil 3:12)...

"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:2)