The Choice to Turn

Sorry, kids, no unusual analogies today, although I'm typing this on a laptop with freshly-replaced hinges, and there are probably two kabillion lessons and stories I could draw from that. The title of the post today isn't even catchy. This is just self-reflection that I'll bet you'll be able to cut-and-paste right into your own life; if not now, at some point in the past or future.

As I ask God for widsom and knowledge in areas over which I've been placed at my church fellowship, I ask Him to remove my preconceived ideas about what songs, programs, ministries, techniques, etc., are effective (actually, "I like the most," may be more appropriate than "are effective"), and ask Him to instead show me what is best.

When I pray that prayer, I'm deeply disturbed by the fact that I can't seem to let go of some remnants of my old attitudes toward other things -- "regular, non-church" things (actually, it's all Church; the Christ-follower carries the "Church" title with him) -- and I wonder how, if I'm not able to set Dean's prejudices aside in those areas, why do I expect to be able to do so in this other area of my life?

There is a balance between beginning again with a blank slate and retaining the wisdom that we've been given by God in life. There are lessons that He's taught us throughout life that we should obviously hold onto and use. However, peppered throughout are reactions and attitudes of our own that are not part of what He's taught us.

As we live life with Christ, it should become pretty apparent which ones are which. As I've mentioned in the past, knowledge and conviction of sin do not equal repentance. Saying, "I know now that I have a problem with such-and-such an attitude (or person or situation)" is fairly worthless if I'm not willing to adjust my life based upon that perspective that God's given me.

The words Moses spoke to Israel thousands of years ago still ring true to the Christ-follower today:

"But if your heart turns away and you refuse to listen, and if you are drawn away to serve and worship other gods, then I warn you now that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live a long, good life in the land you are crossing the Jordan to occupy.

"Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live! You can make this choice by loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him. This is the key to your life. And if you love and obey the Lord, you will live long in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob."

Posted in: Life, Prayer, Sin, Wisdom