Grace Culture

One of the nicest compliments that anyone ever paid me was to say that I was like Lucinda, a character in the book “You Are Special” by Max Lucado.  Jesus and I both know that I am not truly completely like Lucinda…I try, but I am more of a multiple personality that toggles back and forth from being grace-driven, Lucinda and works-driven, Annette.   In my fading moments, when I am defaulting to my old self, my husband will say, “Come on, Lucinda”.

Lucinda is the character that introduces Punchinello, a Wemmick who lives in a village that thrives on giving out gray dots and stars to its people, to Eli, the Woodcarver, who created the Wimmicks.  Lucinda is free from the Wemmick’s system, because she doesn’t allow the gray dots or stars to stick to her and as the story progresses and Punchinello gets to know Eli, the gray dots begin to fall off of him as well.

How I long to live free from a Wemmickity culture…to be part of a culture that is free from honor competition and resilient to shame.  I believe this is the abundant life that Jesus has promised to us.  This is the glorious freedom to which Christ has called us.  This is the path of true grace….the path that the world longs for.

We cannot bring the world to experience this glorious freedom, when we as Christians are still caught up in a worldly identity crisis where we are using stars and gray dots to define ourselves and others instead of allowing God to tell us who we are and allow Him alone to reveal to us the mystery of Himself and His divine plan.  We are His workmanship…created for good works which He, Himself, prepares in advance for us to do.  It is His plan, His gifting, His power and to pride ourselves in the stars is to deprive Him of the glory. 

It is not our calling to help people escape the culture of the world only to bring them into a culture that is still placing the attention on human performance rather than the unsurpassable greatness of God.  It is by grace that we are saved…not by works so that none of us can boast. 

On the other hand, when we focus on the gray dots…our failures and the areas where we fall short, we are still placing our focus on ourselves instead of who we are in Christ and this is just as much a form of pride as boasting in our accomplishments.  We shouldn’t deny the power of the risen Christ that is in us to deliver us from the power of shame and equip us to walk in victory.  This too is depriving God of the glory of His precious gift of redemption.

God, thank you that You have called us to walk in freedom, deliver us from the bondage of pride that manifests itself in both the desiring of accomplishments and in the fearing of the lack of accomplishments.  Lead us in Your victory parade so we can show the world the joyous culture of grace.

 

Ephesians 4:4-10--But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we dead in transgressions--it is by grace you have been saved.  And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages He might show the incomparable riches of His grace, expressed in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus.  For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast.  For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

 

 

 

 

Healthy Choice

There has been a lot of attention focused on the importance of healthy eating and physical exercise which is being promoted through the media and various promotions in our schools and workplaces.  Efforts are being made to teach us to read labels and be aware of what is in our food to protect our bodies from food tainted with questionable manufactured chemicals that hold the potential to be destructive.  We are being encouraged to be more active…to wear mechanical devices to record our steps to ensure that we are getting enough exercise and to drink pure water and stay away from drinks that are loaded with high fructose corn syrup and phosphoric acid.  People are awakening to the joy of experiencing more vitality and stamina as they embrace the suggestions being offered by health advisors.

As a Christian, I believe that I not only have a physical body, but also a spiritual body.  The spirit man needs as much attention as the physical.  I need to be thinking deeper about the things of the world that hold the potential to taint my conscious to believe that wrong is okay.  The Spirit of God is more than willing to prick my conscious, if I will spend quiet time and reflection in seeking the truth about what the world is attempting to package to me as being okay.

There are a lot of substitute reading materials that are more appealing than picking up the pure, organic Word of God, but none will provide the sustenance and strength as the Bread of Life.  The Word of God is powerful and effective to judge the attitudes of our heart and it is living and active to nourish and bring fresh revelation of our living God.  Our spirit man needs the unprocessed sustenance from a healthy and reliable source on a regular basis.  Digging deep into the Word of God will cultivate healthy fruit in our lives full of nutrients to nourish and foster others as well.

Just as our bodies need the pure, cleansing and revitalizing effect of water, we also need the living water of the Holy Spirit to flow into our system and purge us of the impurities that cling to our spiritual cells and weaken our immune system.   Scripture uses the analogy of thirst to help us understand the longing that should be present in us when we are spiritually healthy.  Hunger and thirst is a sign that we are spiritually alive.  When we stop experiencing these longings, something is unhealthy. 

I have read from several sources that when you physically drink a lot of water, your thirst increases and when you don’t drink, the craving subsides.  Just as our physical man’s cravings are determined by what they are fed, when we come to God and receive nourishment from His Word and are refreshed by the Holy Spirit, our souls will crave the pure, sincere and unadulterated nutrition that time in His presence provides.

God, as we learn to make healthy changes to strengthen our physical body,  help us also desire a strong, healthy soul that delights and finds joy in the healthy practices of feasting upon your living word and drinking from the springs of life that satisfy our longings.  May You increase our cravings…give us an addiction to living in your Word and presence and strengthen our faith.

 

1 Timothy 4:8--For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.

Intentional Growth

It is the time of year when Walmart is putting out their gardening supplies and people will begin spring planting.  My mom and dad are 91 years old and dad is making plans to put out some lettuce and radish seeds for his early planting.  I gave up gardening because it requires tender nurturing and consistent attention and my life is already full of living things that require my diligent care.  The idea of neglecting living things whether plants, pets or people is more than I can bear, so I just don’t plant.  When I feel the urge to be in the dirt, I just help mom and dad with their garden.

The Bible uses living things such as wheat, vines, trees, a mustard seed and other seeds, to give us mental pictures of spiritual development.  Psalm 1 suggests that the man who delights in the Word of God will be like a tree that flourishes.  Jesus made reference to a kernel of wheat that has to die in order to produce more fruit and He also described the picture of a vine and the necessity of abiding in the vine to produce fruit.   

To grow spiritually, the Bible shows us that there has to be intentional effort.  When we seek…we find, when we knock… the door is opened, when we ask according to the will of God…we receive.  When we die to ourselves to further God’s kingdom, we create the potential for new growth.  Just as there is no botanical growth without environmental aid, there is no spiritual growth without the aid of the Holy Spirit bringing fresh revelation from God’s Word, surrounding us with the presence of God and drawing us close to Him, and helping us break out of our shells and spread the message of Christ.  He is a powerful germinator who helps us bring forth good fruit.

I fear that we have become more intentional about organic garden produce and our knock-out roses than we have about an organic, knock-out relationship with Christ.  I am wondering how much time we spend fertilizing, watering, pruning and weeding our botanicals compared to time we spend in quiet contemplation of God…of His awesome character and deeds and in His living and active Word.  For a living relationship with God to grow, develop and produce fruit, it will require diligence on our behalf.  Just as with gardening, a fruitful field doesn’t just happen; it is the result of a faithful, steadfast laborer in the field.

Lord, help us to be faithful laborers in the harvest fields that you have placed us, seeking you above worldly hobbies and desires.  You are our breath and life.  Spur us on to produce a harvest of righteousness and grow our souls.