Monday, June 4, 2012
treasure huntin'
Matthew 6:19-21 "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
Yesterday during sunday school, I taught the middle school class for the first time in my life (I've been doing high school up until now). The middle school class consists of 4 girls, Candice, Amanda, Emily, and Anna, all between the ages of 12-14. Needless to say, it was terrifying. I basically spent the first 15 minutes of class trying to figure out what's cool these days (apparently hunger games, and the word "groety" (sp?)) and laughing at jokes that I didn't actually get.
Anyways, I was going over this passage again today and was reminded of 1 John 2:17 ("This world is fading, and everything it craves, but if you do the will of God, then you will live forever"). I was thinking of how really coming to terms with this passage is so difficult. I feel like the luxury and comforts of this world constantly try to program us into believing that this world is all we need for happiness.
Paul calls for us to no longer conform to the pattern of the world (but be transformed by the renewing of our mind so that we may test God's good, pleasing, and perfect will. - Rom12:2) but man, I feel like as time progresses, the luxuries and lavishness of this world just become harder and harder to resist.
Whatever, I need to stop trying to serve to masters (v24) and really live my life for something greater; something that won't rust and can't be stolen.
peace, love, and blessings.
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As discussed, my blog-a-blog (similar to log-a-log, the shrew chieftain in Red Wall):
ReplyDeleteSo i think i'll stick to SOC for now, and just celebrating/documenting some cool things that have been happening. For example today God gradually brought me to the realization that it may be one of the most blessed things to not get excited about "big things" and not have a "big thing" to strive for constantly to feel like i'm on the right track ... to feel like i'm doing something substantial with my life. Instead, He showed me how utterly free we are to ENJOY the small things (i.e., meeting up with my loving brother for non-intense leisurely work-out ... won't get me ripped by it was FUN and relationship building! ... then for dinner afterwards with him and sister in law), and to chew on them, and to satisfy ourselves with our freedoms in Christ ... freedom from the burdens hopelessness, freedom to enjoy daily living.
Freedom to enjoy daily living. I'm thinking i'll take that freedom anyday, for the principles i've been living with to-date. These hopefully legacy principles being that I need something big and gloriously noble to strive for, a reach goal, to make myself feel significant. Christ is significant, Christ lives in me, and died for me that I may live. Therefore, I am significant. My identity and significance comes from outside my actions and the results of my pursuit. What a glorious freedom that is, if only I can live that out consistently that I may be able to be a Christian hedonist in my daily living(as aspired by John Piper). I'd really like to experience more of this ... I was driving and thought to myself: "this is historic, this may be the first time i'm excited, truly excited, about small things, and not about big 'noble things'. The first time that I may actually enjoy and dwell on God for his goodness, rather than the potential good He can provide. The first time I am thankful for the present, in the moment ... and not for past-happenings, or future might-be or even definetely-be through faith or something"
This SOC is most definetly a grammatical nightmare. My older self, as I will blink and it'll be two years later and i'll be completely different in a different life stage/happenings, get a giggle from this blog-a-blog plox.
Who would of thought my road to reclaiming my integrity and building the fundamentals of my character could start from such a brokeness ... and burst into joy. Hopefully not momentary, hopefully sustainable (like my aspirations for sustainable growth in developing worlds may my own growth in integrity and character be gradual, wholesome, thought out, intentional, and sustainable). The gospel is indeed mysterious and fresh. And ironic ... for nothing new is under the sun amarai (Ecclesiastes). Older me, read over 2nd Timothy 3. Remember the continued rebellion you willing threw yourself into, the degradation you experienced, read the pathology of those first few verses ... speaking on Godlessness in the end of ages, speaking about the character of those Godless men, then about the APPEARANCE (white washed walls), then about their ACTIONS regarding others ... then about ever learning and never arriving at a knowledge of truth, then about being disqualified from the faith. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom aint it ... And is it not utterly insane that something written so many centuries ago has a pathology so ... current and duplicate-able ???
do something
Also, proof today that resisting temptation yields joyous fruit, if God is gracious enough to allow the fruit to grow.
ReplyDeletePerhaps the greater temptation resisted the greater more luscious the fruit?