Let Us GO to Him

Today is Good Friday. The day that Jesus suffered and died on the cross, fulfilling the very purpose for which He came to earth. To reflect on the weight of this day, listen to this. Jesus took on the full wrath (anger) of God that was meant for us. He did not deserve the punishment. We did. Yet He bore it willingly. He suffered outside the camp (Hebrews 13:11-3) - away from the comforts and prestige of Jerusalem. And He calls His followers to join Him there (outside the camp). According to John Piper, this means leaving our comfortable lives to live in radical obedience to Christ. Relating to those who are different from us, going somewhere we have never gone and doing things we have never done for the sake of Christ are all ways to go "outside the camp." Jesus did not call His followers to huddle together in isolation from the rest of the world. In fact, He prayed that the Father would not take them out of the world (John 17:5). The footnote on John 17:5 in the ESV study bible puts it like this:

The place of believers during this lifetime is not to withdraw from the world but to remain in the world and influence it continually for good, as difficult as that may be. 

So the call to us who follow Christ is to go.

And Jesus said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age. Matthew 28:18-20

Go to Jesus outside the camp. Go to the nations. Go and make disciples. Go. This does not necessarily mean that you have to pack your bag and move overseas (though it can mean that), but that you are always willing to be about the Father's business - wherever and whatever that means. This going looks differently in each of our lives. For me, it means going to the internationals that God has brought to Louisville and building relationships with them. It also means going to clubs to serve women who sell their bodies to make ends meet. For all of us it means that we are willing to give ourselves completely to Christ and His cause the way He gave Himself completely for us. While Jesus was on earth, He was constantly moving from place to place, putting aside Himself in order to meet the needs of others. Then He gave Himself in the ultimate sense by giving His life. The sermon I heard last week talked about this fact and really got me thinking: how much do I hold back from those I am serving? I need to give myself more fully to those around me - whether in ministry to nonbelievers or in fellowship with believers. It's not about me or my schedule or my desires, but about Christ and serving others in His name with the strength He supplies. It is not about just getting to know those I am serving, but allowing them to get to know me as well.

So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through His own blood. Therefore let us go to Him outside the camp and bear the reproach He endured. For here we have no lasting city but we seek the city that is to come. Through Him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge His name. Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God. Hebrews 13:12-16

Aged Like Fine Wine... :)

Waiting, the Word and (not) Wasting

It's been a little bit since my last post. My silence is due to both not having the time and not having the motivation to blog. Primarily the latter as I have been quite anti-transparent lately. This year has been quite a difficult one...mainly because of the war that has been waging inside me. Suffice to say that those thoughts are delegated to my personal journal and possibly to those whom I deeply trust...possibly.

The Lord has not been silent, though. His messages have been consistent and strong. "Hear My voice." "Stay on the Path." "Follow Me." "Wait." This last one is the hardest. I don't know exactly what I am waiting for or how long I will have to wait. All I know is my Savior says, "Wait." So I will...with His strength. He is in full-control of my life and knows exactly where He is leading to me. In that I can take comfort.

The Lord has been so incredibly gracious to give me rich times in His Word. I am currently journeying through John until Easter (a chapter a day). I have been using the online ESV Study Bible to run references on each verse. The study has made me see more clearly the overall narrative of John, the perfect focus of Christ to do the Father's will, the constant call of Jesus for people to follow Him and the deity of Jesus Christ (the God-Man). I have also been slowly working through 1 Peter 3:4-6 (one key word at a time) to replace the time in the morning when I would be applying make-up, which I have given up for a while to focus on "inner beauty." This study too has been most enlightening as the Lord has taught me about the things that are precious to Him and how I need to trust Him more.

I have been listening and re-listening to a sermon by John Piper in my car this past week and a half or so about not wasting my life. I am gripped by almost every word as I do not want to waste the life God has given me. He talks about making Christ look great in every aspect of our lives by counting all things as loss compared to knowing Him. I am still trying to figure out how that looks exactly in my own life...but it is becoming my driving passion to do so. It is so easy to be distracted with anything and everything else that doesn't compare to His value. I guess this is one of those life-long battles of the Christian life: resisting all so that I can say "yes" to Christ. I want more of Him and I want all that He has for me (whatever that may look like). For it is my earnest expectation and my hope that in nothing I will be ashamed by with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether in life or in death. For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain (Philippians 1:20-21).

The Discipline of Dependence

I wrote this poem three years ago and ran across it this evening, so I thought I'd share:

Reaching for the Prize,
it seems so far away
Longing for the eternal,
but caught up in the day 

Oh these wayward thoughts,
why do they afflict me so?
Lord, give me strength to focus
on You, on You alone 

The beauty and worth of Christ,
Father give me eyes to see
That I may find my Satisfaction
and be brought to my knees 

All day long I try to plan
how things are to be
What a foolish child I am
to think that power lies in me 

"Trust in Me," I hear you say,
"for I alone am wise."
Yet I feel myself resist
and foolish pride arise 

Holy Spirit, come and teach me
how to step in time with You
Light the path before me
and give me hope anew 

The discipline of dependence,
how difficult to learn
Yet I know it is needed
and for its fruit I yearn 

Soon I will see my Savior,
in His presence, face-to-face
Then all the struggles of the flesh
will have no hold or place