The greatest goal in life is not to accomplish things but to simply become who you were meant to be.
So much attention is given to achievements and accomplishments and success. Both in the church and out of it, we are bombarded with stories of 'great' men and women who either became rich, gained fame or created very successful companies or did notable things.
I'm not discrediting these individuals or what they have done, but today the emphasis is on what you can accomplish. Never mind who you really are or what kind of person you are, just deliver the goods and we'll keep you up on a pedestal to look at it and marvel at the accomplishment of man!
I find this seeps into the Church more often that not in very subtle ways. There it is about what you sacrifice or what mission field you go to or what you do for God for all to see and marvel at. We want our churches to be 'successful' just like those companies we see and our pastors to be CEO's.
Never mind the mothers who spent hours awake lovingly caring for their children. Never mind the hard working fathers who sacrifice everything for their family in the quiet, and completely unglorious humdrum ways of suburban life.
How far away have we strayed from the Shepherd God!
To live for Christ is to walk with Christ in the daily grind of life and bring forth His aroma in the everyday things of life, with our closest family, at work, at school, in the city, in the town, just in wherever we are at. Oh how lovely to behold such men and women of God who are filled with the aroma of Christ but seem to be nobody's in their church, nobody's in their neighborhood and nobody's even at work. Please, I'm in no way saying you shouldn't aim to do great things at home, at work, in your country and in the church and anywhere else. By all means dream big because God is big but recognize the importance of your CHARACTER.
How did David conquer Goliath? Was it through training in the desert or in his strength or his accomplishments? Or was it simply because David was a young man who knew the Lord in the secret place and what he was in the desert was what he was in the palace.
How did Joseph have so much wisdom and success? Was it through accomplished learning or was it that this Joseph even as a boy was attune to the voice of God and that is why he dreamed dreams and understood the dreams of others. Joseph was also the secret place type of believer and what he was as a slave and prisoner, he was as the prime minister and ruler of all the land.
How did Mary the woman chosen by God to bare the Messiah accomplish her favor with God? Through great works? Or was it simply that here was a descendant of David who trusted in God and mused on His great works of the past. She had no thought for greatness of her self but wondered quietly as a young woman but all the greatness of the God of Israel instead! And indeed what she was as that meditating women of God in the secret and quiet of being a nobody (though she was certainly not a nobody to God) she was as the mother of Jesus!
The greatest achievers in the Kingdom of God are those who have the Secret Place Character within. They are those who are full of the fruit of the Spirit - this is not something that can be earned and made and accomplished, but only comes by the careful cultivation of a life spent walking with God.
Too many among God's children do not understand. Instead, we strive for fame and glory and big numbers and high wages and seek recognition from everyone but God. What you really seek more than all your desires is the character of your heart. To be who Jesus called you to be... is there any greater call than that?
Is there really any greater enemy to conquer than the one with in?
Like this blog? Don't miss out by subscribing!
I'm not discrediting these individuals or what they have done, but today the emphasis is on what you can accomplish. Never mind who you really are or what kind of person you are, just deliver the goods and we'll keep you up on a pedestal to look at it and marvel at the accomplishment of man!
I find this seeps into the Church more often that not in very subtle ways. There it is about what you sacrifice or what mission field you go to or what you do for God for all to see and marvel at. We want our churches to be 'successful' just like those companies we see and our pastors to be CEO's.
Never mind the mothers who spent hours awake lovingly caring for their children. Never mind the hard working fathers who sacrifice everything for their family in the quiet, and completely unglorious humdrum ways of suburban life.
How far away have we strayed from the Shepherd God!
To live for Christ is to walk with Christ in the daily grind of life and bring forth His aroma in the everyday things of life, with our closest family, at work, at school, in the city, in the town, just in wherever we are at. Oh how lovely to behold such men and women of God who are filled with the aroma of Christ but seem to be nobody's in their church, nobody's in their neighborhood and nobody's even at work. Please, I'm in no way saying you shouldn't aim to do great things at home, at work, in your country and in the church and anywhere else. By all means dream big because God is big but recognize the importance of your CHARACTER.
How did David conquer Goliath? Was it through training in the desert or in his strength or his accomplishments? Or was it simply because David was a young man who knew the Lord in the secret place and what he was in the desert was what he was in the palace.
How did Joseph have so much wisdom and success? Was it through accomplished learning or was it that this Joseph even as a boy was attune to the voice of God and that is why he dreamed dreams and understood the dreams of others. Joseph was also the secret place type of believer and what he was as a slave and prisoner, he was as the prime minister and ruler of all the land.
How did Mary the woman chosen by God to bare the Messiah accomplish her favor with God? Through great works? Or was it simply that here was a descendant of David who trusted in God and mused on His great works of the past. She had no thought for greatness of her self but wondered quietly as a young woman but all the greatness of the God of Israel instead! And indeed what she was as that meditating women of God in the secret and quiet of being a nobody (though she was certainly not a nobody to God) she was as the mother of Jesus!
The greatest achievers in the Kingdom of God are those who have the Secret Place Character within. They are those who are full of the fruit of the Spirit - this is not something that can be earned and made and accomplished, but only comes by the careful cultivation of a life spent walking with God.
Too many among God's children do not understand. Instead, we strive for fame and glory and big numbers and high wages and seek recognition from everyone but God. What you really seek more than all your desires is the character of your heart. To be who Jesus called you to be... is there any greater call than that?
Is there really any greater enemy to conquer than the one with in?
Like this blog? Don't miss out by subscribing!
Comments
Post a Comment