gladitudes

Every once in a while, I’ll read and hear and see things that make me wonder if God is trying to get something across to me. It seems to be happening now.

A week or two ago I read this and it really humbled me:

Philippians 2:5-8 (NIV84)

5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:

6 Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,

7 but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.

8 And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death–
even death on a cross!

Jesus Christ was the only man to ever walk the earth who had the right to demand respect, service, honor, and worship from other men. He was, “in very nature God.” He, however, set the ultimate example of service–he allowed himself to be restrained into the form of a human, he was born in a lowly position before men, he never demanded anything from us, but simply served. He did this to the point of dying the death we deserved to die, because that is all of our most urgent need: forgiveness of sins.

That’s incredible! And I’m called to live likewise. That’s scary and humbling and hard and often times I don’t think I could begin to do it–but I’m called to.

A few days ago Lecrae (Christian artist from Atlanta) tweeted this, and it coincided with what I’ve been thinking about:

Be careful when you find you’re only thinking, praying, & living for yourself. A selfish lifestyle is a Satanic lifestyle.

He puts it harshly (in my opinion)–It offends me for someone to say I’m living a Satanic lifestyle. But, they say: if the shirt fits, wear it. And it’s true. When we live only for ourselves–even if we’re doing “Christian” things like praying–we’re living selfishly and it’s evil. I do not want to be like that, but, O, I need grace to change.

Finally, I read this bit this morning from My Utmost for His Highest and it really resonated with me:

The continual inner-searching we do in an effort to see if we are what we ought to be generates a self-centered, sickly type of Christianity, not the vigorous and simple life of a child of God.

I really believe (largely from my own experience) that when we get totally self-focused, it starts to eat away at us. At worst we can go crazy (literally: insane), at best we just become useless for any good (to others and, incidentally, to ourselves).

I believe the full life that God has designed for us, is one primarily of outward focus. A focus on God first–His sufficiency, provision, love, grace, kindness, etc and secondly on the people He has put in our lives–loving, serving, and caring for them.

Now, I’ll be honest: This is wildly hard for me. I’d rather not. But, I’m also wicked. And, I guess, I know and believe that the best thing for me and the most true and right thing is obedience to God. So, alas, I will do my best to trust and obey.

A final word that comes to mind is what Jesus said in Luke 9:24-25:

For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?

So, I will press on to lose my life, that I might gain in the end. God is faithful, good, and just and is fully worthy of my trust and obedience.

I read this today. Great attitude/mindset as we Christians who love Jesus see an influx of Muslims in our communities.

“I’m planning to be civil toward any of my neighbors who may be heading for the local mosque. But in no way will I accept the charge that to tell them of the truth of the gospel of Jesus is to jeopardize the ‘pluralism’ that has made America a great springboard of freedom for so many generations. And no way either will I concede the right—a right that has now become a duty—to tell them that the error of their thinking is profound. I will do that not because I hate them, but because I love them.”

-Joel Belz

As Christians who seek to please the Lord, we are absolutely required to love the people around us regardless of their beliefs. That includes treating them with kindness AND telling them the life-saving truth of the Gospel.

I read one of my favorite Psalms again today. God’s so good to always make it fresh and wonderful again each time.

Here are some reflections:

Psalm 32:1-2

1 Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven,
whose sin is covered.
2 Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity,
and in whose spirit there is no deceit.

In verse 1, notice this isn’t a prescriptive statement (“things should be such”), but rather a descriptive statement (“this is how it is”). The reality is that anyone whose transgression has been forgiven, if they understand it, they can’t help but be blessed (literal translation could also be “happy”).

It’s good for me to read things like this regularly to remind myself that I have no excuse not to be happy. Regardless of my specific circumstances, if I have been forgiven my God, I ought to be happy. What else is so significant to detract from that? And, by the way, I’m not talking about joy, which some people say is an attitude you choose, I’m talking about pure, unadulterated happiness—like where you get giddy and goofy. We ought to be happy!

See, if we’ve been forgiven by God, we can face eternity with confidence because we know that it’s going to be good (we’ll be in heaven with God). If our eternity is secure, what temporary, earthly circumstance should bring us down? None should.

The second thought I had about this passage, is how in verse 2 it says, blessed are they “in whose spirit there is no deceit.” I was thinking about what this means. I think it refers to how we can now be totally honest with God. We don’t have to hide our sin, our crooked motivations, our wishy-washy hearts, etc from him. He already knows and he’s already forgiven us! What a beautiful reality! We don’t have to have any ingenuineness or any fakeness in our relationship with God. We can give him the real us and he wants the real us.

This is so different from our other relationships. I can’t even be totally real with my closest friends, at times. To know I can be totally real with God is a freeing truth and I love it.

The rest of the chapter is really good, too, but I’ll just share one more section. As I was reading, I was recognizing that this is God speaking to me. I’ve changed some wording to make it more personal in the end. I’ve noted it so you can tell where. I think this is beautiful when I recognize it is coming from my loving Father:

Psalm 32:8-11

8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you with my eye upon you.
9 Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding,
which must be curbed with bit and bridle,
or it will not stay near you.

10 Many are the sorrows of the wicked,
but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in [Me].
11 Be glad [Me], and rejoice, O righteous [my son],
and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!

God loves us so much. He wants the best for us. He is the best for us, his children! The more we yield to him, follow him, love him, rejoice in him, rest in him, and find our value and identity in him—well, the happier and more fulfilled we become. We were designed for him.

If you know Christ today, you are blessed! Experience it!

Here are some verses I read this morning. I was really challenged with how frequently Jesus said something like, “Because of your faith, you have been made well.”

Today’s question: Where do I need to start trusting God more?

Matthew 8:7-13

And [Jesus] said to [the centurion], “I will come and heal him.” 8But the centurion replied, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes, and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” 10When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him, “Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel[d] have I found such faith. […] 13And to the centurion Jesus said, “Go; let it be done for you as you have believed.” And the servant was healed at that very moment.

Matthew 9:2-7

And behold, some people brought to him a paralytic, lying on a bed. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven.” […] he then said to the paralytic—”Rise, pick up your bed and go home.” 7And he rose and went home.

Matthew 9:20-22

And behold, a woman who had suffered from a discharge of blood for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, 21for she said to herself, “If I only touch his garment, I will be made well.” 22Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And instantly the woman was made well.

Matthew 9:27-30a

And as Jesus passed on from there, two blind men followed him, crying aloud, “Have mercy on us, Son of David.” 28When he entered the house, the blind men came to him, and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to him, “Yes, Lord.” 29 Then he touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith be it done to you.” 30And their eyes were opened.

James 1:6-8

But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 7For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

So, the verse of the day today is this:

Psalm 90:12-17

¹² So teach us to number our days
that we may get a heart of wisdom.
¹³ Return, O LORD! How long?
Have pity on your servants!
¹⁴ Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love,
that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
¹⁵ Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us,
and for as many years as we have seen evil.
¹⁶ Let your work be shown to your servants,
and your glorious power to their children.
¹⁷ Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us,
and establish the work of our hands upon us;
yes, establish the work of our hands!

There’s so much I could say here. This passage triggers a lot in my thinking. But, I’ll just share one thought.

Take a glance at verse 14: “Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.” I guess in my heart I feel there are so many passions and desires and motivations that really, at times, are pulling me in all sorts of directions. I know that if I don’t learn to really submit those things to God, it’s easy to find myself being pulled in all sorts of different directions. At times, too, it’s easy to go seeking satisfaction in all sorts of different things besides God, too.

I find this is really my prayer and my heart: Oh God, please satisfy me in you that I won’t go seeking satisfaction in other things!

That’s my thought for now.