Who do you know that absolutely annoys the mess out of you?
People on the phone in the supermarket. Fanatics at the sports bar. People always trying to make an appearance. Texting and driving. People who go on social media rants. People who talk too much. Laugh too much. Cry too much. Skinny jeans. Yoga pants. Dads living their dreams through their sons. Moms dressing like their teenage daughters. Those flaunting their wealth of knowledge or cash. The know it all's and the have it all's.
They're just plain annoying.
But there's a good chance that on some occasions we can be the most annoying person in the room as well. Seriously. I make myself so mad. Sometimes I annoy myself. These little quirks that I have. I often think to myself, "Why did I do that? Why did I say that? Why did I think that? Why did I wear that? Why did I go there?"
Do you know what else annoys me? Statements in the Bible. Statements like:
Sin has consequences. Morality doesn't heal heart issues. Forgiveness is costly. Those who find life must lose it. Giving is better than receiving. Humility is preferred over pride. Generosity and greed can't cohabitate. Suffering is inevitable.
These truths are unsettling. They disrupt my lifestyle. It seems like God, the Bible, Jesus wants to interrupt my regularly scheduled program of doing things my own way. Christianity interferes with the god of 'me.' And to be honest, it's annoying.
I want to do things my way. Go where I want. Do what I want. When I want. With whom I want. Without anyone telling me what to do, how to think, or where to be.
But I can't.
Some time ago I read this verse in the Bible, [they were] greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming Jesus (Acts 4:2). For way too much of my life I have been annoyed just like those religious leaders. People carrying out the mission of God while I sat idly by being annoyed by their fanaticism. Watching their lives being poured out for the singular purpose of bringing glory and honor to God.
And through that verse there's been a conviction brought on my life that is driving me toward a greater faith and fearlessness to accomplish His purposes in me.
I, like Paul, have decided to make it my mission to live by this anthem, "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now liv in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me" (Gal 2:20).
I suppose I will still be annoyed. Annoyed by my own tendencies to shrink back from doing what I know I ought. Giving in to those temptations that simply please myself and feed my flesh. Annoyed by my own sinful habits instead of the habits of others. But with every moment of annoyance I hope I'm brought back to this phrase, "[He] loved me and gave himself for me."
Sunday, October 22, 2017
Sunday, October 01, 2017
House Divided
"Roll Tide!"
"Beat Bama!"
You see it on car tags. Coffee mugs. Key chains. Front porch banners.
Phrases like "Gators and Dawgs!" "Trojans and Bruins!" "Buckeyes and Wolverines!" "Longhorns and Sooners!"
How did you miss this conversation? You could've had this anywhere. Over lunch. At the gym. On your first date. Marriage counseling.
Most of us are born into it. Others, crazy enough, marry into it.
Some of us are won by the sheer loyalty of the fans around us. It's persuasion at its finest!
Family. Friends. Laughing. Playing. But that one day, that 3rd Saturday in October, is better left alone. Give them space. Maybe a whole other house altogether.
Tomorrow we can be friends but today, today, we fight to the death!
Before every game we hear the national anthem. Some standing. Some kneeling. All listening. Then cheering. And the game begins. In the trenches. Between the hedges. And for a moment our patriotism is put on hold as we place our lock, stock, and barrel of allegiance on our team.
We can befriend strangers in the stadiums, tailgates, and bars so long as they root for our favorite team. And create enemies out of allies for anyone sporting opposing teams' jerseys on game day.
This division with others can become brutal though. What begins as a joke or small jabs at someone else because their team lost or their coach was fired begins to create irritating tension.
It's incredible to think how united or divided we can become by the entertainment of watching guys running and throwing a ball around the field. And the attitudes created on Saturday night that carry over into Sunday conversations at lunch.
It's a thing of worship, really. Those coaches, players, stadiums, mascots, our alma mater, have been placed on a pedestal of praise. Or perhaps even lamenting in sackcloth and ashes.
Worship is a war zone. Pledges like "this is our house," "our year," "next year" come bellowing out of painted faces like Mel Gibson in Braveheart.
And here I find this internal struggle woven deep into my own soul; a house divided.
Here's the struggle. I do things I don't wanna do and neglect doing things I know I ought to do. That's a paraphrase of Paul's struggle in his letter to the Romans. But it's true for me too.
This body of mine is lugging around thoughts, perceptions, and predispositions that have been shaped by circumstances and conversations since childhood. These small cartoon character-like figurines sitting on my shoulders whispering in my ear, "do this" or "do that."
This war for my affection is manifesting itself as a form of worship in my soul.
It's a craving to feed my flesh or my faith. This predisposition to figure things out on my own, to be good enough, to hide the less than stellar parts of who I am. Or the alternative; to admit that I don't have it figured out, I'll never be good enough on my own, and there's One who already knows every part of my being and loves me anyway.
I don't want to be a house divided. I don't want this temple of a body to continually battle between good and evil, but unfortunately, I was born this way. "Prone to wander, Lord I feel it, prone to leave the God I love" the songwriter penned.
The good news is as long as I'm fighting there's still hope. There's hope to overcome the tactics of the enemy. To overcome obstacles standing in the way. And overcoming the struggle strengthens my devotion. My obsession. My passion.
Everyday I must suit up for battle. To beat the enemy into the ground. To beat my flesh to death. And every win allows my heart to enjoy the life I was meant to live; a life of freedom found only in the victory of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!
So today, today, we fight to the death! We put to death every tendency that is trying to destroy this temple, this house, from representing team Jesus!
"Beat Bama!"
You see it on car tags. Coffee mugs. Key chains. Front porch banners.
Phrases like "Gators and Dawgs!" "Trojans and Bruins!" "Buckeyes and Wolverines!" "Longhorns and Sooners!"
How did you miss this conversation? You could've had this anywhere. Over lunch. At the gym. On your first date. Marriage counseling.
Most of us are born into it. Others, crazy enough, marry into it.
Some of us are won by the sheer loyalty of the fans around us. It's persuasion at its finest!
Family. Friends. Laughing. Playing. But that one day, that 3rd Saturday in October, is better left alone. Give them space. Maybe a whole other house altogether.
Tomorrow we can be friends but today, today, we fight to the death!
Before every game we hear the national anthem. Some standing. Some kneeling. All listening. Then cheering. And the game begins. In the trenches. Between the hedges. And for a moment our patriotism is put on hold as we place our lock, stock, and barrel of allegiance on our team.
We can befriend strangers in the stadiums, tailgates, and bars so long as they root for our favorite team. And create enemies out of allies for anyone sporting opposing teams' jerseys on game day.
This division with others can become brutal though. What begins as a joke or small jabs at someone else because their team lost or their coach was fired begins to create irritating tension.
It's incredible to think how united or divided we can become by the entertainment of watching guys running and throwing a ball around the field. And the attitudes created on Saturday night that carry over into Sunday conversations at lunch.
It's a thing of worship, really. Those coaches, players, stadiums, mascots, our alma mater, have been placed on a pedestal of praise. Or perhaps even lamenting in sackcloth and ashes.
Worship is a war zone. Pledges like "this is our house," "our year," "next year" come bellowing out of painted faces like Mel Gibson in Braveheart.
And here I find this internal struggle woven deep into my own soul; a house divided.
Here's the struggle. I do things I don't wanna do and neglect doing things I know I ought to do. That's a paraphrase of Paul's struggle in his letter to the Romans. But it's true for me too.
This body of mine is lugging around thoughts, perceptions, and predispositions that have been shaped by circumstances and conversations since childhood. These small cartoon character-like figurines sitting on my shoulders whispering in my ear, "do this" or "do that."
This war for my affection is manifesting itself as a form of worship in my soul.
It's a craving to feed my flesh or my faith. This predisposition to figure things out on my own, to be good enough, to hide the less than stellar parts of who I am. Or the alternative; to admit that I don't have it figured out, I'll never be good enough on my own, and there's One who already knows every part of my being and loves me anyway.
I don't want to be a house divided. I don't want this temple of a body to continually battle between good and evil, but unfortunately, I was born this way. "Prone to wander, Lord I feel it, prone to leave the God I love" the songwriter penned.
The good news is as long as I'm fighting there's still hope. There's hope to overcome the tactics of the enemy. To overcome obstacles standing in the way. And overcoming the struggle strengthens my devotion. My obsession. My passion.
Everyday I must suit up for battle. To beat the enemy into the ground. To beat my flesh to death. And every win allows my heart to enjoy the life I was meant to live; a life of freedom found only in the victory of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!
So today, today, we fight to the death! We put to death every tendency that is trying to destroy this temple, this house, from representing team Jesus!
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