Happy New Year!!!! 2014....
Seems like it was just 2013 yesterday....
Why the photo above? Well, for starters, I like it. I think it is a symbol of where God is taking me in 2014. Light from above, shinning down into deep water. To me, that is a picture of my heart. God is wanting to illuminate my heart and teach me how to follow Him in this coming year.
It might be that you are on on the same journey. I'm not real comfortable about making blanket statements over everyone. You know the ones that go..."God is going to (Insert whatever it is) this coming year so you better be ready." I'd like to know what He has in store for the church, but I am not so brazen as to declare what it is. I'll just go with what I believe is going to happen in my corner of the Kingdom.If it speaks to you, then that's a plus, isn't it?
Ready?
Here goes.
It's going to be a year of learning how to live in Him.
Ta! Da!
That's it? Learning how to live in Him? "Shouldn't I already know how to do that?", some of you may be thinking. Your answer is probably "Yes, I should"...and you would be right. But if you look to the second chapter of Revelation and the message given to the church at Ephesus, you'll see where John wrote, "But you walked away from your first love---why? What's going on with you anyway? Do you have any idea how far you've fallen. A Lucifer fall! Turn back! Recover your dear early love. No time to waste."
God was calling to remember something that, to me, was elementary in following Jesus....love Him. But even the elementary things get lost in the shuffle and over time we loose sight of what is truly important. That is why I really believe that God was calling me to remember. He wasn't questioning my love for Him. He just wanted to show me some things I had lost track of over time.
While my love for Christ hasn't wavered....I think He wants to me to recover the ability to live in real relationship with Him. The reason I believe this, is found in Matthew 11:28-30 in the Message Bible.
"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me---watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."
When I came across those verses, it was like reading them for the first time.
I had to go back and reread them. The one thing that jumped out at me was the line, Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.
"Learn" means that someone is teaching, and someone is learning. It didn't take long for me to figure out the pecking order in this little exercise.
It truly is about relationship and not religion. The connection, or bond, between Christ and the church should not be a forced thing that has to be worked out and worked at. It should be a free flow, natural relationship as we simply surrender and follow. Unforced rhythm means going with the flow of Christ, not against it. It means that we rest from our own striving and simply allow Him to show us how to live. That is what He wanted me to see. I didn't have to perform to earn His favor or love. He loves me no matter what. Truth be known, I couldn't be any more loved by Him than I already am. What a comfort that is. But sometimes the enemy tricks us into thinking that there is more that we should be doing. Kind of like being saved, but there are somethings you need to do so you can become "save-der".
Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.
What is rhythm? If you are referring to music or the make up of a band, then rhythm is the floor........the groundwork on which a song is built. We are learning a new "song" in Christ. A new way to live. A new way to approach life. One that can't be earned or bought. There is nothing I can do but accept this wonderful gift and then follow Him, learning all along the way. In other words, every day when I get up, school is in session on how to live a new way.
I am learning how to walk with the flow or direction of Jesus....not against it.....not contrary to it, but with him. It is a ceasing of trying to exert my will, my wants, especially when they originate in my flesh, and my way into this equation of relationship with Christ.
I am anxious to start this new part of my journey. I wonder where I'll be come January 1, 2015? Let's get going and see where this rabbit trail leads.
God on you...
mb
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