It'll Take a Miracle

Yesterday marked a rather significant personal accomplishment. Of course, you might be thinking, after reading that sentence, of things like finishing a degree, getting the perfect job, etc. Well, most people will probably think once they read about this accomplishment, "Big deal. I do that every day and so do millions of other people. (Hence the reason, I qualify it with "personal" accomplishment.) But if you know me very well at all, you'll know just how much of an accomplishment it really was for me.

So, drum roll, please.

Yesterday marked the completion of 6 weeks straight (even Saturdays and Sundays!) that I got up at 5:50 am, without even hitting the snooze. Ta-da! (See, I told you, most of you would say, "so what?")

If this really isn't such a big deal for most everyone else, why would I be drawing so much attention to it?

Because in doing so I want not to boast in my own will power or discipline but instead to give the praise and glory to my Savior for the work the Spirit has done and continues to do in my life. The title to the post says it all. My getting up early consistently has literally taken a miracle. (And I don't just say this because I have never been a "morning person.") Of course, the miracle is not my getting up at the same time for any specific length of time, the true miracle was the "new birth" through which God gave me faith to repent and believe, accepting Christ's substitutionary work on the cross and submitting to His kingship in my life. This salvation has brought not only reconciliation with God through Jesus' atoning death for my sins, but also the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit, who is working to complete what was started at conversion. Because of all of this, I can truly can say that this 'accomplishment' was none of me and all by God's grace. On my own, I would have continued to oversleep time and time again, only to feel guilty and vowing to try harder the next day. But through some recent study and listening to some sermons, God has graciously revealed this sin of self-reliance, calling me to repent and depend entirely on the Spirit's enabling to do anything, even getting up early.

Having reached my goal of 6 weeks and looking back at the Spirit's prompting to commit to this goal of being more disciplined (which, interestingly enough, is a fruit of the Spirit, not a work of the flesh), I'm beginning to see what the linchpin really is---it is faith or belief. I've heard it said often (and seen it demonstrated in so many ways) "belief determines behavior." We do not truly believe something until we have acted upon it. So this means a head knowledge alone isn't enough for it to be genuine belief, we need the faith that enables us to depend on the Truths we know, which results in action. Yet, is faith something we can work up in ourselves? No, it is a gift of God and comes from hearing the Word of God. Isn't it amazing that the same source for our faith is the same means we have to learn the truths we come to trust in?

In thinking all of this through in recent days, I realize now that my "commitment to be more disciplined" was really a gift of faith that motivated me to believe (or actively depend on) the Bible's promises of the Spirit's enabling us to live the Christian life as we should, both consistently and joyfully. And when we go through times of inconsistency or have little or no joy, the real reason is that our faith in Christ and our understanding of the Gospel is weak. Instead, we have begun to treasure and trust in our "functional saviors" to bring us joy and satisfaction.

Thankfully, we have Jesus, who is both the author and perfecter of our faith and far surpasses all of our "functional saviors" in worth and beauty. So let us "fix our eyes" on Him and Him alone. And may we pray along with the father who confessed and asked Jesus, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief."

With all that said, I guess I can't really call getting up early an accomplishment after all since my desire to do it consistently (and even the ability) was a gift of faith to trust in the power of the Spirit. So again I praise God through Jesus for the work the Spirit is doing in my life.

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. (Col. 2:6-7)

Confessions of an Idol Worshiper

No, I don't mean American Idol, if that is what you thought of as you read the title to this post. And no, I don't mean that I've been hiding any statues in my apartment either. So how can I be an idol worshiper then, you ask? Good question.

As I sat in church this morning listening to how idolatry is the enemy to the Gospel and heard questions like these below, I was ashamed but unfortunately not completely shocked at what my honest answers were.

• Where do you go for comfort?
• What makes you angry?
• What has God not given you that you are not happy with?
• Whose approval are you seeking?

I'm always amazed, though I know I shouldn't be, at how God patiently continues to reveal something specific to us in a number of different ways until we get it. Several weeks ago now, I began studying the OT book of Jeremiah with a friend. If you are not familiar with this book, most of it deals with God's judgment of Israel for... you guessed it, their idolatry. And as I read about Israel, I of course drew the parallel to my life to a certain point, but pride blinded me from really admitting how much I was like Israel in her idolatry, until today. (I hadn't gotten to Jer. 17:9 yet obviously, which talks about the heart being deceitful.) This same pride often prevents us from seeing our sins for what they are---placing something of lesser worth above the One who is of greatest worth.

So in my life, instead of the more obvious sin of laziness, the deeper sin is my idolizing comfort and ease, rather than identifying with Christ's sufferings and denying self (I Pet. 4:12-13). And instead of the sin of vanity, I idolize others' opinions and views of me and seek man's approval, rather than growing in faith by cherishing the cross in order to please God not man (Heb.11:6).

Thankfully, as I read Jeremiah, the parallel to my life is not only with Israel's sin but with their salvation as well. God graciously and mercifully continued to call His people Israel to repentance, just as He does for His people today. So I find rescue from my idol worshiping through Jesus, my Redeemer. He is the Truth and Light, illuminating the deceitfulness of my sinful heart. He calls me to turn from all my idols and to worship instead the One who alone is worthy of worship, thus finding the true peace and joy my heart longs for.

Jesus, I am resting, resting
In the joy of what thou art.
I am finding out the greatness
Of Thy loving heart.
Thou hast bid me gaze upon Thee,
And Thy beauty fills my soul,
For by Thy transforming power,
Thou has made me whole.
Jean Sophia Pigott

The Gospel...and Moving to a New Apartment

I know some might say the two things mentioned in the title are unrelated. And I would have thought the same only a few months ago. However, one of the most important things I've learned recently at my church is that everything (Did you get that? Everything.) comes back to the Gospel. So as I have tried to keep this Truth forefront in my mind, I started trying to list specific ways I can see the Gospel in moving to a new apartment.

So here's what I came up with.

1. Moving reminds me of a need for dependence on others.
The Gospel is the news that we must trust completely in the person of Jesus Christ for our salvation.

2. Moving reminds me that this life is temporary and transitory.
The Gospel is eternal and Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

3. Moving shows me how much junk I really have and its insignificance in light of eternity.
The Gospel has given me forgiveness and an eternal inheritance according the riches of grace through Jesus.

4. Moving reminds of my physical weaknesses.
The Gospel is the means of redemption for both my soul and body, and I will one day have a glorified body (and no back pain!).

5. Moving reveals my sinfulness and continuing need for sanctification.
The Gospel gives me assurance that He who began a good work in me will complete it.

I hope this has been as much a blessing to you as it was to me. And I challenge you to keep your focus on the Gospel... no matter how unrelated your circumstances might seem.

A Veritable Feast

In the last few months I've been confronted with so much Truth at my new church. And while I feel that my mind is nearly full with these truths to chew on, thankfully by God's grace I find that the opposite is true of my heart: it is not at all full enough and hungers for so much more. As a result, I believe I am finally beginning to grasp a deeper significance to the psalmist's imperative to "taste and see that the Lord is good," for God's Word when rightly handled is a veritable feast.

But not only do I better understand what David means in savoring God's goodness, but I also understand even more why he makes this statement. Someone who has tasted something superbly satisfying can't help but tell others about it so that they too can partake for themselves!
Again because of His grace, now more than ever I want to share what I'm learning, not just in an academic sense, but more importantly to share how it is truly making a difference in the way I think and ultimately act.

So for those who have already tasted the Truths of the Gospel, may you be reminded of the wonderful satisfaction and joy they bring and continue to relish them. And for those who have yet to sample what God offers at His table, please, I invite you along with the psalmist to "taste and see that the Lord is good!"