“It is not enough to be industrious; so are the ants. What are you industrious about?”
― Henry David Thoreau, Letters to Various Persons
PSALM 128-131
I have no command from the Lord, but I give a judgment as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy. 26Because of the present crisis, I think that it is good for a man to remain as he is. 27Are you pledged to a woman? Do not seek to be released. Are you free from such a commitment? Do not look for a wife. 28But if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. But those who marry will face many troubles in this life, and I want to spare you this.
Paul is writing from a place of being completely sold out to his mission. This is why he makes it clear that these commands are suggestions from his own perspectiveJOURNAL
Soldiers in the midst of battle have completely sold out to their mission. They have to be or else they will cower, run, freeze or act irrationally. This does not happen overnight...it is months of training and breaking and wearing down their dependence on modern life. They also have to let go of any delusions of grandeur and be committed to following orders.
Reality is that it is much the same with us and following God. However the ultimate objective is not external, but rather internal. Referring back to the Psalms of "quieting the mind" and becoming "content". That comes from a place of internal peace, when the external anxieties have stilled and the heart has rested in one single purpose...acceptance of God's love and seeking and following him in all things.
Then he gives us a mission...a role we were designed for and one that once embraced gives us a passion and purpose. This passion and purpose is what ultimately gives us joy, hope, endurance, courage and the perseverance to walk through the fires of life in a way that honors God. But in order to get this, understand it and fully embrace it...we have to be sold out to God and his story.
No comments:
Post a Comment