Where You lead, I will follow.
http://i-lovedyoufirst.livejournal.com/154823.html
"These words I speak to you are not incidental additions to your life, homeowner improvements to your standard of living. They are foundational words, words to build a life on."
Matthew 7:26, MSG
I guess it really doesn't get much more straight forward than that. God's word isn't something we fit into our lives. It's something that we fit ourselves into. We're not supposed to be working things around, seeing where we can "make God work" in the life that we already have. Technically speaking, when we discover the love of Jesus (or, when He discovers us), we're supposed to drop everything from our old lives and follow Him. In today's world, that just doesn't seems logical. Since there's no physical Jesus to "follow," quitting our jobs and selling our possessions seems a little unreasonable. I certainly haven't done it.
However, I think that what God is looking for today is a willingness to do just that. Since there is no longer a man for us to literally follow from place to place, we need to have it set in our minds that we will follow the Holy Spirit anywhere it leads us. Whether it leads us to give a homeless man $100 when we feel like we don't have even have enough money for ourselves, or quit our jobs and become missionaries in Alaska, or just write "God bless you" on the check at a restaurant, we need to have a solid, unflappable willingness to do what the Holy Spirit moves us to do, when it moves us to do it. Anything, anywhere, and at any cost. Because only God knows the true cost, as well as the ripple effect caused by the largest or tiniest act of obedience.
I want to start living my life that way. For me, the first step is getting more attuned to the voice of God. The Bible says that His sheep will know His voice, and not confuse it with the voice of the enemy. I want to be a sure sheep. I need to spend more time listening for His will and His words, because that's the only way I'm ever going to truly learn His voice. I complained to Jim once that I can tell His voice so much better when He's shouting. That's not right. Jim told me that it's like that with lots of Christians. God's always easier to hear when He's shouting, because by that point you've probably already messed up. He told me to get past that, and to focus on what to do. What I need to do is hear God's voice, crystal clear, so that I can start following His every commandment. And I mean the commandments outside of the Bible, too. The commandments He has waiting specifically for me. The works He wants to do through me. I'm so excited to get to that point, but that means I have to get through the learning process first. I have to know His voice.
"Your eyes are windows into your body. If you open your eyes wide in wonder and belief, your body fills up with light."
Matthew 6:22, MSG
Created over 2 years ago
