Day 80: That it May Go Well

This day started out terribly. Without going into much detail, I dropped the ball and missed out on one of my most important responsibilities. I instantly went into “depressed” mode. I didn't want to leave my room, or really go to church. I felt so bad that I just wanted to wallow in it.

So very pathetic.

Eventually, I remembered that we all make mistakes, and that I need to do everything I can not to make the mistake again, but I also needed to get on with my day.

Around noon, I finally stumbled out of my bedroom in some wrinkled jeans and oversized sweatshirt (attractive, I know), and went to lunch with a friend. What an amazing blessing it was to have fellowship on a day that started out so bleak. It was nice to catch up, and to talk about how God sometimes blesses us with what He removes from our lives. We also talked about Haiti, which always makes me happy.

After lunch, I went home and vegged for a little bit. I knew that I wanted to work out, but I wasn't sure how to go about it. I could feel the sun streaming in, and I knew that it was a day to run outside. After finding my iPod, I had the urge to listen to a sermon from so long ago...2007 to be exact. I found it on the solid rock website (praise Jesus!) and ran while listening to it.

It was an incredible blessing...but more on that later :)

After my run, I felt so much better about my day. I came home, chatted with the roomies for a bit, and then got ready for church.

I'm not going to spend a long time dissecting the message, mostly because Phil was so straightforward in his outlining of what we need to do. Mainly, the discussion was focused on becoming a more fervent disciple of Jesus.

More than any New Year's resolution, we should all want to know Jesus far more intimately than we do now.

In his message, Phil centered around Deuteronomy 4: 39-40:

39 Acknowledge and take to heart this day that the LORD is God in heaven above and on the earth below. There is no other. 40 Keep his decrees and commands, which I am giving you today, so that it may go well with you and your children after you and that you may live long in the land the LORD your God gives you for all time.

Mainly, he called our attention to the fact that the LORD, Yahweh, is in heaven above and with us on earth, and that there is no other. This God that we serve is a creator, one of a kind, and by keeping his commands, we may go well in our lives, living long in the land that He has given us.

Based on these verses, Phil plotted out five ways to live so that it may go well in our lives...

1. A disciple of Jesus obeys God's commands.
   It seems so simple, but so often we all play the pick and choose game. Oh yes, Jesus, I love what you say here about this, but I don't really like that, so I'll just avoid what you say about it. We can't be lukewarm in our feelings towards God's commands, picking what we will and will not follow. It is our choice, but He wants us to chose. It's also important to remember that God's commands are for our good and His glory, and that a disciple obeys God's commands instantly, even when it hurts.
   
   The part I loved most about Phil's discussion on this point was when he asked the question: Are you living above the scriptures (picking and choosing what you want to do so you can be “happy”) or are you living under the scriptures and their authority?
   
   We have all chosen to ignore certain things that God commands of us because, certainly, He wants us to be happy...so how could He expect me to really do this, or that? Wake up, disciple! Following God's commands doesn't entail happiness, they entail joy, and that sometimes comes through difficult times. Don't fool yourself into believing that you can pick and choose what you follow and still be a disciple of Christ.
   
   
2. A disciple of Jesus meditates on God's words.
   This point is so incredibly important, and so incredibly difficult. You have to make time for the Word of God because there will never be any time if you don't. Meditating, and chewing, on what God has to say about how are to live our lives is essential to being a disciple of Christ. How will we know who He is and what He requires of us if we don't read and meditate on His word?
   
   If you are not reading the Word consistently, and putting what it says into practice, think of this truth about the bible: This book will keep you from sin, and sin will keep you from this book. Be real with yourself about what you need to do, and how you need to adjust your life to center it around the Word of God.
   
   
3. A disciple of Jesus lives to serve others. 
   Oh, my goodness! I loved what Phil talked about during this point when he distinguished that living to please others and living to serve others is not the same thing. That hit home for me, because so many times I am a people pleaser. However, when we aim to please people, we are really wanting to make sure that we are doing a great job, or that we are good enough, which totally means that we are focusing on ourselves!
   
   When we serve others, we aren't thinking of ourselves at all, which is the point. To serve means adjusting our schedule and routines to meet the needs of someone else. Jesus came not to be served, but to serve, and when we see the world through that lens, it makes serving that much more desirable.
   
   
4. A disciple of Jesus abides in Jesus.
   John 15, baby! He is the true vine, and we are the branches. The plain truth is that without Him, we will perish. Look not only for the vine, but for the fruit that you should produce when rooted in Him. Galatians 5 outlines the fruit of the spirit, as well as the fruit of the flesh. Which fruits characterize your life? Hopefully the answer is love, joy, patience, kindness, gentleness, etc, and if it isn't, then abide in Jesus to find those fruits. You can tell a disciple by their fruit...so get some :)
   
   
5. A disciple of Jesus places Jesus first, above all else.
   He calls us to deny ourselves, take up our crosses, and follow Him. It can be summed up like this: If He's not Lord of all, He's not Lord at all.

Whew! I know that was a lot, but it was an awesome message. As Phil said, none of this is profound, or new, or something we haven't heard before.

The profound thing is living it.


In Christ,


Lilia