I have noticed that there are Christians out there who are tired of the mediocre, tired of the average Christian life that interlocks with the world and has no separation power. So my answer, over and over, to these people is to jump in with reckless abandon. To surrender all to Christ and not look back. To walk in the Spirit and not in the flesh.
Well, they need more than that. I've come to realize that I've fallen into the pastor's lazy way out of a real question. Not that reckless abandon and surrender are not what's required, but it avoids the issue of how to do it, what it looks like. They become catch-phrases that leave the seeker wondering what to do next. It's almost like saying "I'll pray for you" when someone comes to you with a problem. It sounds nice and pious, but it leaves them with the still-empty feeling that they came in with.
That's why I'm glad that this is a blog - with the opportunity for give and take. So I'm throwing the question out there. How does one practically experience or even begin the surrendered life? I know that Elisha burned his plow and slaughtered his oxen - he was making sure that he was never going back. James and John left their boats - their means of business. The men of Ephesus in Acts 19 burned their pagan scrolls in the public square. They put very real stakes in the ground and left all to follow God. Josiah knocked down the idols, burned them, and ground their ashes to dust. Then he literally scattered Israel's old, powerless, compromised way of life to the wind.
But what about us? How do I scatter my putrid stagnancy to the wind? For anyone who reads this, help me out here. Throw out some of your thoughts and experiences as to how we get the flesh out and walk only in the Spirit - tell me how you think that this is fleshed out in the day and age that we now live.
Is it as simple as making a statement that you are now fully surrendered? As methodical as getting up every morning and reading your Bible? As potentially legalistic as cutting out the things (and people) that you feel are hindering your walk and living what you think the lifestyle should look like?
Although these may eventually be aspects of the surrendered life, it has to be more than that. Give me some help. I need to know, and it is wonderfully obvious that I am not alone. There are many out there looking for this separation power.
3 comments:
Solid question T-D. I don't know the answer to it, because I have not completely sold out. I am still clutching to many things that this world has to offer, despite my desire to get away from these things. I think that once we can finally get to the point where we truly love Christ the way He loves the Church, we can begin to surrender everything. I think the disciplines that you touched upon are pretty important. Reading the Bible, prayer and fasting are truly important disciplines that can allow growth beyond anything we can imagine, but it is even hard to accomplish these things.
I think the problem may be that we need a true desire for God. We need to cut out the things that are holding us back.
Personally, I have to surround myself with the right people, stay away from tv and make good use of my time. So much of my growth is discipline. Something I am seriously lacking. At first it is discipline, then comes the ease of the relationship. That's what I think at least. That was long. Sorry.
(I love responding to my own blog - but the discussion here is what I'm trying to generate)
Dave - that's what I'm asking. There are real, practical things that go along with being sold out. I think our culture is trying to do away with the 'disciplines.' But they are a very real aspect - sometimes it's all we can do as the desire develops. Like any relationship - we need to work it out and then the love deepens. For me, it is a scheduled Bible and prayer time. If you wait for the 'fire from above' you may spend your whole life waiting. But at the same time, you can't force love.
I'm still confused. Anyone else out there with thoughts? Mark? Scotty?
I wish I had an answer here, but I don't. When it comes to my faith, I feel like I am an instrument in a band that's out of tune. Let me explain: I make time in my day to work a 12 hour day. If you include the commute, it's over 13 hours. But I don't take 30 minutes out of my day to read God's Word. I pray every day, sometimes multiple times in the day, but I am never making an appointment with God to do so. I'm not saying that I feel we have to create a perfect environment to pray - what I'm saying is that I pray and ask God for help, guidance, and an answer to what more He wants me to do in my life, but I don't give him my undivided attention. If I made time to read God's Word, I'd be a better witness to non-believers. If I made time to read God's Word, I'd have more confidence to grow my faith and get more involved in Christian organizations that even exist at some of the race tracks I go to. (I know, racing...) So, to try and answer the question here (it takes a while for me to get to the point - sorry) I think the first step is to get a daily one-on-one relationship with God. No interuptions. I know it sounds basic, but I know that is the key for me at this point. I have a strong faith, but I feel like it is unorganized.
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