Fixed, but not fixed
Some of us are fixed, but not 'fixed'. We get things all 'fixed up', only to find we never 'fixed ourselves in place' and the 'fix' never stays 'fixed' as a result! How many times have we made the promise to be obedient in some area of our daily Christian walk and then before the day was over, we somehow 'forgot' about the promise? If you are like me, probably too many to count! We often promise God that we won't follow some path of wrong choices - then almost instantaneously turn back to doing what we committed NOT to do. All because we are not 'fixed'.
You are my portion, O Lord; I have promised to keep Your words. (Psalm 119:57)
God knows perfectly well that our promises to be obedient will be spotted with occasional failures. I think that is why he says, "When you tell God you'll do something, do it—now. God takes no pleasure in foolish gabble. Vow it, then do it. Far better not to vow in the first place than to vow and not pay up." (Ecclesiastes 5:4-6) Better NOT to make the vow than to make it and not keep it - to fail to be 'fixed' means we will likely fail to keep the promise, no matter how well-intended we were.
So, why are we always making promises that we have no real 'independent' ability to fulfill? Perhaps it is because we expect to fulfill them all on our OWN - independently, without any help, all in our own power! God never expects us to fulfill the promise of obedience on our own. He gives us the Holy Spirit, his Word, and a conscience to help guide us - to give us direction and to help us get 'fixed' with a solid foundation. As we embrace these "tools", we find we are moving closer to obedience than we ever could with only our own will-power.
What is "will-power" anyway? Simply put it is the ability to control one's OWN impulses. Another term we use today is "self-control". Since the time of Adam and Eve there is more than ample evidence that this concept of being able to "control" self is pretty fickle business! "Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don't try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he's the one who will keep you on track. Don't assume that you know it all. Run to God! Run from evil!" (Proverbs 3:5-7) When we get in the "mode" of trying to figure everything out on our own, we get into a place of self-reliance. We expect to find the fix, work the fix, and then declare we are fixed - but all without being 'fixed' when it comes to a reliable foundation!
That's probably not working very well for most of us! First of all, we don't know the fix, or we'd never be in the mess we are in! Second, whenever we think we can work the fix ourselves, there will be "steps" and "parts" that we just don't know or possess on our own. It is like thinking we can put together the pieces without a guide! If those boxes of Legos did not come with picture diagrams and step-by-step guidance, we'd never get the princess castle built out of those hundreds of pieces in that box! We'd have something built, but I bet we'd end up with a 'version' and not the true image!
To think we can declare ourselves "fixed" is sheer arrogance on our part. We have a pretty inaccurate "measurement" by which we compare ourselves. To make a comparison of self to any other measure than the Word is to have a faulty measure. David says, "I promise to obey." Don't miss how he tells us he will accomplish this obedience - it is by making God his - not making the fix his! He nuzzles in closer to God and allows God to get down to business in his life. In that moment, there is an exchange - David's imperfection and disobedience for God's grace and encouragement.
Where are you finding your satisfaction today? Is it in finding the fix, working that fix, and then declaring yourself fixed? If so, you will not enjoy that satisfaction for long! If it is in hearing God say, "We'll work on that together," you are likely finding great encouragement for all of the work that lies ahead of you! "Christians aren't perfect, they are just forgiven." God knows that our obedience is contingent on one thing - his presence in our lives. He relishes the opportunity we give him to "fix the fix"! To get the foundation right so the 'fix' is really fixed. Today is a new day - yesterday was filled with all those messes and failures. Tomorrow will work itself out. Today is the day the Lord has made for us to live today - let us pull near to him, rejoice in him, and rely on him to bring out the best in us today. We need to stop relying on our "will-power" to make us each into a new creation. In delighting in him - making him the object of our affection and attention - we are aligning ourselves with the power that affects our will! It is when the will is affected that obedience is the outcome! We finally get fixed, so the fix will leave us fixed. Just sayin!
You are my portion, O Lord; I have promised to keep Your words. (Psalm 119:57)
God knows perfectly well that our promises to be obedient will be spotted with occasional failures. I think that is why he says, "When you tell God you'll do something, do it—now. God takes no pleasure in foolish gabble. Vow it, then do it. Far better not to vow in the first place than to vow and not pay up." (Ecclesiastes 5:4-6) Better NOT to make the vow than to make it and not keep it - to fail to be 'fixed' means we will likely fail to keep the promise, no matter how well-intended we were.
So, why are we always making promises that we have no real 'independent' ability to fulfill? Perhaps it is because we expect to fulfill them all on our OWN - independently, without any help, all in our own power! God never expects us to fulfill the promise of obedience on our own. He gives us the Holy Spirit, his Word, and a conscience to help guide us - to give us direction and to help us get 'fixed' with a solid foundation. As we embrace these "tools", we find we are moving closer to obedience than we ever could with only our own will-power.
What is "will-power" anyway? Simply put it is the ability to control one's OWN impulses. Another term we use today is "self-control". Since the time of Adam and Eve there is more than ample evidence that this concept of being able to "control" self is pretty fickle business! "Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don't try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he's the one who will keep you on track. Don't assume that you know it all. Run to God! Run from evil!" (Proverbs 3:5-7) When we get in the "mode" of trying to figure everything out on our own, we get into a place of self-reliance. We expect to find the fix, work the fix, and then declare we are fixed - but all without being 'fixed' when it comes to a reliable foundation!
That's probably not working very well for most of us! First of all, we don't know the fix, or we'd never be in the mess we are in! Second, whenever we think we can work the fix ourselves, there will be "steps" and "parts" that we just don't know or possess on our own. It is like thinking we can put together the pieces without a guide! If those boxes of Legos did not come with picture diagrams and step-by-step guidance, we'd never get the princess castle built out of those hundreds of pieces in that box! We'd have something built, but I bet we'd end up with a 'version' and not the true image!
To think we can declare ourselves "fixed" is sheer arrogance on our part. We have a pretty inaccurate "measurement" by which we compare ourselves. To make a comparison of self to any other measure than the Word is to have a faulty measure. David says, "I promise to obey." Don't miss how he tells us he will accomplish this obedience - it is by making God his - not making the fix his! He nuzzles in closer to God and allows God to get down to business in his life. In that moment, there is an exchange - David's imperfection and disobedience for God's grace and encouragement.
Where are you finding your satisfaction today? Is it in finding the fix, working that fix, and then declaring yourself fixed? If so, you will not enjoy that satisfaction for long! If it is in hearing God say, "We'll work on that together," you are likely finding great encouragement for all of the work that lies ahead of you! "Christians aren't perfect, they are just forgiven." God knows that our obedience is contingent on one thing - his presence in our lives. He relishes the opportunity we give him to "fix the fix"! To get the foundation right so the 'fix' is really fixed. Today is a new day - yesterday was filled with all those messes and failures. Tomorrow will work itself out. Today is the day the Lord has made for us to live today - let us pull near to him, rejoice in him, and rely on him to bring out the best in us today. We need to stop relying on our "will-power" to make us each into a new creation. In delighting in him - making him the object of our affection and attention - we are aligning ourselves with the power that affects our will! It is when the will is affected that obedience is the outcome! We finally get fixed, so the fix will leave us fixed. Just sayin!
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