This time of the year gets super busy. I could ramble on about all the deadlines and things to complete, but you have a list of your own and reading mine will not be a pressing matter to you. But I would like to take the time to share this with you.
I received a text message from a friend yesterday that said: " Thought of you this a.m. while reading Gal. 6:9 and 2 Thes. 3:13. Have a blessed day and rest in Him. :-)." Frankly I was stressed to the max and felt nauseous from my previous night's socialization and lack of sleep. Looking up those verses was a priority that was going to have to wait in order to get things done.
This morning I had a chance to read into the verses. They read:
Galations 6:9 - "Let us not become weary of doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."
2 Thesselanians 3:13 - "And as for you brothers, never tire of doing what is right."
What a combination of conviction and relief to read it. I had an awful past few days getting all sorts of stuff done and had hung out with my friends from work on Thursday night. While I didn't do anything that was considered "wrong", I still was bothered by it. Just went out to dinner and then drinks back home.
After journaling and reading scripture, I was hit with the question of "what is considered right in God's eyes?" I had shared my testimony earlier in the week about how I had a fairly legalistic approach to religion in high school and I think that the really allowed for some questioning and testing to occur.
To be honest, I am really glad that I was stirred and distraught over it, because I could sense the pull from the source of love and freedom I find in my relationship with Jesus Christ. "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. ... This is my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. ( John 15:5 and 8)" I was sitting by the vine, but nothing I was doing made it evident that I was receiving the glories riches of the branch.
What is good and what is not good can be very blurred through human justification. In Romans 14, Paul writes about giving an account of oneself to God. (vs. 12) In my own personal faith, I have come to the conclusion that regardless of what it is that I am doing, I need to conduct myself in a way that I can bring Glory to my Father. On Thursday, I didn't slander God, intentionally distort the image of God, use his name in vain (or consciously break any of the other ten commandments), but I also didn't proclaim his goodness!!
I am greatly humbled, but also relieved that regardless of my failures, God's love for me in enduring. In fact, I opened my Bible and and the first portion I turn to is Hosea. A story of a man who whole heartedly pursues the Lord and is called by God to marry a prostitute, just so that we can be reminded of God's persistent pursuit of his habitually fleeting children! How much more failure engulfed, grace ensued scripture can you get!?
I am a sinner, a repeat offender. Yet, I have been purchased for a cost and saved. God gave up his own Son, so I can find my freedom and reassurance in Him. I am eternally grateful.
