This is messed up...as I was praying this morning, I was attempting the "ACTS" method of prayer (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication), and I didn't even get past the "A." My prayer went something like this: "God, you are holy, righteous, true, and just." Now, I don't know if you can read the enormously impersonal feel to those first words, but it was there when I said them. I listed a bunch of His qualities as a list of facts about God rather than qualities I know from experience, and I thought, "why don't I become overwhelmed with joy, grief, sorrow, happiness, and anticipation when I say these qualities about God?"
If you've ever met someone who you can truly say, "He/she is a truly holy person," wouldn't you think that you would have some level of conviction of your own unholiness? your own sinfulness? What about being encouraged by their holiness? encouraged that someone is doing it? empowered by the way they live their life alone?
All throughout the Old Testament God tells His people, "Be holy as I am holy." The reason for this is that God wanted to use His people (then, it was Israel) to demonstrate to the world ("nations" as the OT puts it) who God is. Holiness was one of His main concerns. God wanted people to look at His people and say, "Wow, there is something different about they way they all live their lives!" To which an Israelite would have responded, "Yeah, because we serve a HOLY GOD."
I wonder if ANYBODY would EVER say that about me: "Wow, he's different (in a good way)." The truth is, I don't think I know much about God's holiness, justice, and righteousness because I don't live it that well. What's funny about that is I DO know all about His FORGIVENESS! Man, do I know about that! And it is good! It's something that I do go through emotional mood swings about! I love His forgiveness...I'm devastated by His forgiveness...I'm awed by His forgiveness...I'm encouraged and equipped by His forgiveness. If I knew of His forgiveness alone, that would be enough to live a life worth living! So how much greater will this life be when I can celebrate, cry over, and rejoice in His other qualities?
I've been a Christian for 10 years and I'm just barely scratching the surface...
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Scratching the Surface
Posted by As Christ Lives In Me at 9:37 AM
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2 comments:
Man that's pretty crazy stuff.. lol So are you saying that we should love our lives as if we were holy, or forgiving others, or trustworthy? which is understandable because that is like God.
Totally, not only are we to live this way, but when we do, other people also get to see what God is like. Mankind was made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26) and when we are truly living as He made us to, it's an awe-inspiring thing to witness, because it's then that people can see God.
So many people say that they can not see, touch, or hear God. This is sad, because His Church is the body of Christ. If people can honestly say they've never experienced God before, it's because His Church is slacking, not God.
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