AUGUST 3, 2023

  “And once you live a good story, you get a taste for a kind of meaning in life, and you can't go back to being normal; you can't go back to meaningless scenes stitched together by the forgettable thread of wasted time.”

― Donald Miller

PSALM 70-72

5For you have been my hope, Sovereign Lord, my confidence since the youth6From birth I have relied on you; you brought me forth from my mother’s womb. I will ever praise you. (71:5-6)

ROMANS 4

1What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, discovered in this matter? 2If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about—but not before God. 3What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness'^a

JOURNAL 

Paul (Saul) lived the first part of his life chained to the bitterness and hatred of a bad story. His theology was rooted in paranoia and pride of righteous living. That all changed on the road to damascus...as a result God changed his name and his life. Righteousness can never be acquired, it is a byproduct of faith and acceptance that God is a good Father who created us to live this life, this moment in obedience to him and in love for our fellow man. 

That obedience is not a source of pride but rather humility. When I really look at all that Paul is saying...it just makes so much sense. My purpose in this life is to accept all that God gave me and live each moment seeking his wisdom, seeking to know his ways and living my life dedicated to serving that single purpose. That means that every day will give me new opportunities to serve him and in turn serve and love those that are in my sphere. My family, friends, neighbors even and especially strangers brought by circumstance into my consciousness. 

It is a bit overwhelming to think about...but again that is where my job is not to shoulder the complexity of a world full of 7 billion people...it is simply to obey God and love others as he commands, that task gives me a full plate and a full life. I am to trust God to handle everything else.

23Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. 24For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. 25What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self? 

LUKE 9:23-25