Let's get our 'WE' out of the way

But the time is coming—it has, in fact, come—when what you’re called will not matter and where you go to worship will not matter. “It’s who you are and the way you live that count before God. Your worship must engage your spirit in the pursuit of truth. That’s the kind of people the Father is out looking for: those who are simply and honestly [humble] themselves before him in their worship. God is sheer being itself—Spirit. Those who worship him must do it out of their very being, their spirits, their true selves, in adoration.” (John 4:24)

Who you are - a believer in Christ, as evidenced by the way you live - that is what matters - not the church affiliation you proclaim. It is clearly a matter of who we worship, not where we worship. Do we worship the Christ, the living Son of God? Do we serve him with our full devotion? If the answer is yes, then we are on the right path! It is a measure of how 'engaged' your spirit is in the pursuit of truth - not that you have the 'only truth', 'better truth', or the 'secret truth'. 

If we are followers of Christ, our lives are to be marked with simple and honest humility in worship. That means we live transparently before our God - in humility acknowledging our short-falls and then paying close attention to the help he grants to help us with those short-falls. How do we worship God? Can we do it in our own strength? No clearly, we cannot, for 'WE' gets in the way of worship. We need the Holy Spirit to show us how to worship - to bring our hearts and minds into submission so we can truly lay our lives open before Christ.

We go wrong when we think we can just enter into worship kind of 'blindly' - stumbling along in our own efforts. We turn that wrong pursuit around when we open ourselves to the leading of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Who we are will not be who we are tomorrow when we allow our teacher, the Holy Spirit, to guide us into true and open times of worship. Why? We will be led to the foot of the altar and it is there we will be changed. The way we live is transformed by how we worship - do you see that in this passage? 

Rather than settle for superficial worship - the kind where we say the words, but the heart isn't really behind them - let's begin to 'worship' as God intends. Let his Holy Spirit guide our withered and worn souls into the throne room of God. It is there we can find rest and peace for the weariness of our day. It is there we find the health and hope our spirit so craves. It is there we are renewed and restored. How is this possible? Because we bring what we are, complete with all our short-falls, chips, and dings, and allow the Holy Spirit to lay us bare. It may not be comfortable to worship this way, but when WE get out of the way, God is free to touch us exactly where we need his touch. Just sayin!

Your imagination playing tricks on you again?

You know when you are strong or weak, tall or short, fairly good looking or in need of a good make-over.  We all examine ourselves in one way or another and make some judgment as to our "status" in this life.  Some will admit to being a little too heavy, others a little too thin.  Regardless of our "status" in this life, we have ways we "show" what it is we really are - through what we demonstrate in this life to others, ourselves, and Christ.  What we demonstrate in the moments we think we are "in control" may be the most telling of the truths about our real "make-up" in this life.

This will show that you are a good servant of Christ Jesus. You will show that you are made strong by the words of faith and good teaching you have followed. People tell silly stories that don’t agree with God’s truth. Don’t follow what these stories teach. But teach yourself to be devoted to God. Training your body helps you in some ways. But devotion to God helps you in every way. It brings you blessings in this life and in the future life too. (I Timothy 4:6-8 ERV)

Most of us strive to be good servants of Christ.  In fact, we really don't wake up in the morning hoping to be a lousy servant today.  If we are honest, we are probably lifting up little prayers as we rise which go something like, "God, will you please help me be better today", or perhaps "God, I did a pretty poor job with life yesterday, so I am hoping for a better start today."  We want a fresh start because we didn't do so well with the fresh start we received yesterday!  I am so glad we don't exhaust our fresh starts with God.  His grace is never depleted.

We are made "holy" not by the things we eat or don't eat, do or don't do.  We are made holy because we embrace the grace we are given and we endeavor to draw closer to God today than we were yesterday.  Admit it - we receive a lot of good teaching - we walk in about a tenth or less of it.  Good teaching is effective only to the degree it is embraced.  Yesterday, our attitudes and actions may have shown we didn't do the best job embracing those teachings.  Today is a fresh chance to embrace even one of them!

We get life "right" far less than we get it "wrong".  This is part of human nature. It is impossible for us to live above "failure" or even not having tried.  There are times when we are just not going to make the effort, or the effort we make is totally not sufficient to get us even remotely close to the obedience God desired of us.  In those moments, it is imperative that we keep our wits about us, turn again fully into God's grace, and allow him to bind up whatever it is we have "undone" by our lack of obedience.  

We actually "teach ourselves" to be devoted to God, not so much in the "never failing", but in the "failing".  This may not make sense to some, but here is something I have come to appreciate in my life:  I can do a whole lot of things well with a pretty high degree of consistency.  When I might muff something up which I usually do well, it is easily overlooked because it is a "fluke".  If I see them as "flukes" - simple aberrations which really don't mean much - I miss the opportunity to take the "miss" or "fail" to God for his input and help. When I bring them to God, I often get a far different perspective on the matter at hand, finding it is far less of a "fluke" than a "root" which must be dealt with for me to really be "consistent" in my walk.

There are some who will rise this morning, don work-out gear, tie on the tennies, and head out to the streets to beat a path around the neighborhood and then back home.  I am not one of those.  In fact, since my knee replacement I am unable to run any longer, so the best "path beating" I can do is either on a bicycle or by walking.  The path we beat with such consistency is indeed good for us, but if we are caught up in this being all there is to keeping our bodies well, we miss out on a whole lot of other important aspects of taking care of ourselves.  In much the same way, we need a well-balanced perspective on our devotion to God.  We don't just "do prayer", or "do Bible reading", and expect we will develop into well-balanced followers of Christ. 

We need devotion which drives us, but we need sometimes settle for a passing fancy when it comes to our relationship with Jesus.  If we are to enter into the fullness of all God has prepared for us, we need to teach ourselves devotion. This means we aren't too quick to pass over the "flukes" in our day, but we are open to discussing them with Jesus and allowing him to show us where those "flukes" are really rooted.  If we are to be honest with ourselves, we need this type of help because until we get his perspective on our lives, we only see things as we imagine them to be.  Heaven knows our imagination plays tricks on all of us!  Just sayin!

Devotion, Determination and Delight

Devotion is one character trait which really cannot be "seen" in the way we dress, what we drive, or the things we amass.  In fact, it is "seen" more in the people we hang around with, the way we spend our time, and the attitude of heart which is exhibited in the actions we take toward others.  If you really stop to consider it, devotion is just a synonym of love.  Devotion is evident in where we find our foundation for life, who it is we emulate in our actions, and what it is we commit to without wavering.  Devotion also determines our delight - there is very little in which we take delight that does not first begin with an appeal to our hearts.  Devotion then is linked with determination - for what we come to value we develop a strong determination to obtain and make out own.

But he knows where I am and what I’ve done.  He can cross-examine me all he wants, and I’ll pass the test with honors.  I’ve followed him closely, my feet in his footprints, not once swerving from his way.  I’ve obeyed every word he’s spoken, and not just obeyed his advice—I’ve treasured it.  (Job 23:10-12 MSG)

So, our "D" List of character traits are really threefold:  Devotion, Delight, and Determination.  For some, the word devotion conjures up the idea of profound dedication.  This is not far off the mark of what I think God has in mind when he looks for this trait in us - he searches for even a small hint of us being willing to align with his heart.  When he sees this tiny bud of devotion, he begins to nurture it until it becomes a fully adorned "tree" of dedication - anchored with three strongly attached roots of commitment, allegiance, and loyalty.  

When our roots are solid, the growth produced and the ability to withstand the various influences which seek to uproot us are evident.  If we "align" ourselves within "good soil", the chances of giving into every wind of change which comes across our lives is a little less likely.  Instead, we will remain securely rooted in that which gives us "grounding".  Yet, even a tree firmly rooted will begin to grow "toward" the most influential "winds" in their life.  This is where we need the "winds of devotion" to blow stronger than any other wind which might seek to change the course of our growth.  

As I travel, I have the delight of taking in much scenery.  One thing which consistently catches my attention is the way trees grow in various regions.  As I traveled near the beaches of Torrey Pines near San Diego, California, I noticed these "spindly" looking pines, almost "lopsided" in their growth.  You see, they were affected by the strong winds which came off the ocean, directing their growth inward toward the land and almost making them devoid of growth on the side which faced the ocean.  I have also observed this in some regions where strong winds have blown the birch trees, such as in Birch Bay, Washington.  The birch are tall and straight, but devoid of limbs on one side of the tree.  Why is it these two different trees grew this way?  They gave into the "prevailing" winds in their lives.  

Devotion occurs when we determine which "wind" we will accept as "prevailing" in our lives.  We can give into the winds of the times, or even the winds of circumstance.  Yet, nothing makes us grow as strong, tall, and "equally balanced" as the gentle breezes of the Holy Spirit in our lives!  When we are determined to grow, not toward the "loudest" winds, but toward the gentle breath of God, we have a much more balanced growth!

As a tree takes root, the promised growth is dependent upon what care it receives in its "growth cycle".  This is where delight comes into view - for it is the heart of God that each of us "delight" in the tender care of his watchful "gardening" of our lives.  We need those withered "branches" lopped off - for they only take up space, hindering other growth from appearing.  We need the soil "turned over" on occasion, because we only get new growth when the soil of our hearts find new "oxygenation" on occasion!  Delight is an off-shoot of our determination and our devotion.  I guess you sum all three of these into one word - desire!  

Job said it well, "I have not just obeyed his advice - I've enjoyed it!"  Why?  Simply put - he has made a determination to make God his primary desire!  He delights in the counsel of God - determined to have it affect his course.  He has devoted himself to God's plans - no matter how difficult they may seem at the moment (and heaven knows Job faced many a tough blow in life).  He makes no attempt to remove himself from being aligned with God's best - no matter how much it appears on the outside as though "all hell is breaking loose".  He is devoted, determined, and he takes great delight in the things and choices which please the one he has the greatest desire to please - not himself, not his peers, but God!  Now, that is something which "tickles" the heart of God!  Just sayin!