Thursday, March 29, 2012

The Radical Life?

What if the radical Christian life we are called to isn't actually that radical at all?  What if all God is wanting is our time?  Simply to spend time reading the Bible and praying.  I think this fear that God is going to call us to sell our homes, give everything to the poor and move to Africa is a smokescreen.  We feel like if that is what God wants, we just can't do it.  We are not that radical and we just kind of walk away from the whole thing.  It feels too extreme.  But Jesus is calling us to FOLLOW him.  It's not about the change or cleaning ourselves up.  Look at Matthew, he simply says follow.  Now Matthew eventually gets radical but that's not how he starts, he starts by following.  We can do and I believe we are called to do the same thing by reading the Bible and spending time in prayer.

I truly believe that is the beginning of change.  Twenty minutes could change our lives, our community and the world.  What if everyone who loves Jesus obeyed and followed?  Maybe as we move closer to Jesus he will ask us to sell everything, give it all to the poor and move to Africa and in that moment, it may not seem so radical.

Sunday, March 4, 2012

My Prayer


I wrote this on January 1st of this year.


Lord, teach me to love
You first, family and all others next
Teach me to be patient and wise with my words
Not to be so quick with the negative
Both in responses and attitude
Teach me to quickly recognize the important
And not get caught up in that which is passing 
and of no concern
Help me to be in each moment and
See with Your eyes
To see others and situations as You see them
Give me self-control not that I may be seen as moral
But that I may be used, available and in position
Let me see each day as a victory for Light
That the darkness I hold on to will not prevail
And so to simply turn it over to the One who will take it at the end
Let my life point to You as I lean hard into You
Lord, teach me to love