Henri Nouwen writes: “Maybe the death at the end of your life won’t be so fearful if you can die well now. Yes, real death—the passage from time into eternity, from the transient beauty of the world to the lasting beauty of the next, from darkness into light has to be made now.” (Inner Voice of Love; page 107) Jesus told us that he who loses his life will save it.
How often has God walked us through mountains and valleys in our sojourn here to show us the places in our hearts where we have not died? Fear, worry, anxiety and stress all reveal the life of the flesh and the need to die in Jesus.
It seems to me that the areas where we want to hang onto are the places God puts his hand on and tenderly says, “This must die.”
I discover that I often fight against the love and wisdom of God crying, “No, Lord! Anything but that. I can’t let go of it.” So in that moment, I close my fist tightly over it. Afraid, anxious and nervous—these emotions come because I refuse to die to what God has placed his hand on. These feelings last as long as I hang onto the thing God wants me to let go of.
There comes a time when the longing for freedom from the struggle comes to the breaking point. At that moment God wraps his arms around us and gently beings to pry our fingers off of what we are clinging to. He whispers in our ears, “Trust me. Die to this. Let go. And you will find freedom for your soul.”
Dying is not an emptying. It is filling our hearts, souls, minds and spirits with Jesus. This freedom lasts forever.
Monday, May 21, 2007
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
Direction Correction
I recently read a passage of Scripture from Jeremiah 10:23-24 that reads: “I know, O Lord, that a man’s life is not his own; it is not for man to direct his steps. Correct me, Lord, but only with Justice—not in anger, let you reduce me to nothing.” NIV
As I considered that passage I thought about how many of us think our lives are our own. I claim many things as mine: my time; my feelings; my home; my family; my car; my money; etc. Yet my life is NOT my own. When I claim these things as my own I am really assuming God’s place.
If I really KNOW that my life is not my own, then I live and act like it is God’s. So if he wants my time to be filled with inconsequential things, it is all right. If he wants me to struggle with health issues, there is a reason—My life is NOT my own!
These verses from Jeremiah also tell us that it is not for us to direct our steps. I considered what often directs my steps—my own feelings, other people or events that occur. Yet, the Lord of all must direct our steps. I can almost hear Jesus say to me: “Mike, do you not know that your life is not yours? It is mine. Remember that I will direct your steps.”
Finally, Jeremiah asks the Lord to correct him. What would it mean in our lives if we really prayed for the Lord to correct us? What would his just correction look like in our lives? Yet, I often need for our Lord to correct my focus, my way, my feelings and my heart.
It seems that when I allow Jesus to have his claim on my life, direct my steps and correct me, then my life takes on a divine direction and has Kingdom meaning. I begin to discover that I truly CAN do all things through Jesus who strengthens me! Amazing how simple it all really is!
As I considered that passage I thought about how many of us think our lives are our own. I claim many things as mine: my time; my feelings; my home; my family; my car; my money; etc. Yet my life is NOT my own. When I claim these things as my own I am really assuming God’s place.
If I really KNOW that my life is not my own, then I live and act like it is God’s. So if he wants my time to be filled with inconsequential things, it is all right. If he wants me to struggle with health issues, there is a reason—My life is NOT my own!
These verses from Jeremiah also tell us that it is not for us to direct our steps. I considered what often directs my steps—my own feelings, other people or events that occur. Yet, the Lord of all must direct our steps. I can almost hear Jesus say to me: “Mike, do you not know that your life is not yours? It is mine. Remember that I will direct your steps.”
Finally, Jeremiah asks the Lord to correct him. What would it mean in our lives if we really prayed for the Lord to correct us? What would his just correction look like in our lives? Yet, I often need for our Lord to correct my focus, my way, my feelings and my heart.
It seems that when I allow Jesus to have his claim on my life, direct my steps and correct me, then my life takes on a divine direction and has Kingdom meaning. I begin to discover that I truly CAN do all things through Jesus who strengthens me! Amazing how simple it all really is!
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