Friday, August 26, 2016

AUGUST 25, 2016

“Carve your name on hearts, not tombstones. A legacy is etched into the minds of others and the stories they share about you.” 
― Shannon L. Alder

PSALM 124-127

God secures us...


1Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion,
which cannot be shaken but endures forever.
2As the mountains surround Jerusalem,
so the Lord surrounds his people
both now and forevermore. (125:1-2)

1 CORINTHIANS 7:1-24

Paul commands the Corinthians to not look to anything outside of faith for joy...


21Were you a slave when you were called? Don’t let it trouble you—although if you can gain your freedom, do so. 22For the one who was a slave when called to faith in the Lord is the Lord’s freed person; similarly, the one who was free when called is Christ’s slave. 23You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of human beings. 24Brothers and sisters, each person, as responsible to God, should remain in the situation they were in when God called them.

JOURNAL 


This morning listening to soundtracks and it just reminds me how much I love movies. The reality is that I just love stories and the journey of he human heart. The drama that fills movie screens is the same that plays out in the hearts and minds of every human who has ever lived.  It is what connects us all. It is what brings about strong emotions and millions and people flocking to theaters to watch it play out.

All movies fall more or less into the same theme...Things were good, then they turned bad, an unlikely hero was called and through his sacrifice the day was saved. That is the story and that is the story of our faith and the human condition.

It is what God uses to bring us together. It is what he uses to draw us to each other in love and sacrifice. Story brings understanding and connection. Jesus used it to help us understand God, his mission and our place in the bigger story.

I wish I could have a soundtrack playing in my head all the time. When I am connected to a story and understand my place, I tend to have much more courage. I am more focused and am able to make better decisions. I wonder in some way if this is why God continues to call us into story and his story that he is telling. The question is how do we find our place? How do I know and embrace my place in the story God is telling? I think it comes in the following ways...
  1. Realize and embrace that I am part of God's story
  2. Believe that the story is good
  3. Accept that God loves me and that I am a valuable part of the story
  4. Embrace the gifts and talents that I possess 
  5. Receive the call to go on mission
  6. Surrender to the call
  7. Live the rest of my life devoted to the story and my place in it. 

6Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” - DEUTERONOMY 31:6

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