I have been marinating in a thought this week after a conversation i had with a brother in Christ. While in PA i took the opportunity to sneak over and see my friend in Lancaster, Geoff.
As Geoff and i began to catch up discussing God, family, and life. We were both awestruck on all that God was doing in our individual lives, and the lives around us. It seems obvious to say that God is up to a bunch of things, but maybe our awestruck emotions came more from our recognition of how the simple things are for His glory as well, not just the big moments.
As our discussion hit its mid way point, Geoff asked me a question. "Man how do you do it, how do you keep God first, your family second, and ministry/other third?" He wasn't asking because he did not know how, he was asking because Geoff wants to grow. So I pondered for a moment, and then said "I do my best to make small adjustments to my life everyday. Some people fear looking in the mirror and asking what else? I find great benefit in surrendering my life to God, and asking Him what is next? I don't spend much time in regret, rather repent."
Admittedly, i have tried to live this way for a while. You might say it is my form of living out Romans 12:1+2, paraphrased "that my life might be a living sacrifice holy and pleasing to God. And that by analyzing what part of my life is in the world, i might make small transformations so that i might live in His will".
The world we live in today, spends billions of dollars, hours of life, and every trick in the trade to tell us that the BIG moments in our life transform. And though i am for BIG moments, i do not find them transforming daily. Instead in my life i have found that the smallest decision towards my righteousness, builds on a daily basis, a foundation that is not sinking sand.
This was a beautiful moment for me during our conversation because i am not sure i had verbalized what i was trying to do by living this way each day. I just was, daily, in His Grace.
It reminded me of men and women all over the world that do BIG things; farmers, astronauts, fire fighters. Needless to say they face BIG moments in their lives. The planting and the harvest, the blast off and returning into the atmosphere, the 3 alarm fire in the middle of the night. But i would guess the majority of it is filled with small changes in their lives daily, so they can be ready for whatever comes their way.
I decided to share today, hoping that it would catch someone who is waiting for a BIG moment to change their lives. Maybe that is not what God is up to. Maybe today is about being honest looking in the mirror and making some small adjustments. So that as He transforms us, we will be ready to live. Then tomorrow and the next day we can do it all over again.
ROMANS 12: 1Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual[a] act of worship. 2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. NIV
Selah - Pause and reflect - His Grace, His Peace, and His Power in you today -
1 comment:
Thank you, Steve. You have reiterrated something...we CHOOSE how we are going to live...those little choices are the little "moments" that change our lives.
Choices are little bits of "action" that God uses for BIG "re-action"...thus BIG moments that started with a choice...every great moment in the Bible started with that moment where someone chose to either listen to God, or listen to "the flesh" (satan)
God has given us the ability to choose to love, choose faith, choose fear of righteousness, choose to walk upright. Our BIG moment is waiting behind little choices everyday and may not be realized until God Himself says, "Son/Daughter, your choices unbeknownst to you, left a pathway of love and righteousness behind you...look at the people you have affected, thank you, welcome to Heaven...here's your reward." Now that is a big moment worth "living in wait" for!
I have a note posted on my mirror (ironically enough) that says, "Change starts here".
Romans 6:16 says, "Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you CHOOSE to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can CHOOSE to obey God, which leads to righteous living."
Love you man, no distance too far, mountain too high, or river to deep to keep a brother away from his brother!
Peace,
Bill
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