Having a Heart in a Sometimes Heartless World
Scripture focus: Now that we know what we have – Jesus, this great High Priest with ready access to God – let’s not let it slip through our fingers. We don’t have a priest who is out of touch with our reality. He’s been through weakness and testing, experienced it all – all but the sin. So let’s walk right up to him and get what he is so ready to give. Take the mercy, accept the help. Hebrews 4:14-16 The Message
I think Scott’s devotionals remind me of this: the state of my soul is far more crucial to life satisfaction than the balance in my checking account. Easy for me to say – I still have enough money to buy groceries this week. But it’s still true – people with money have as much chance of falling prey to stinking thinking as those without it. So our spiritual condition cannot be dependent upon our life circumstances. We may use our circumstances as a way to rationalize our bad behaving – but that’s not the real deal, is it?
Jonalyn Fincher, author of Ruby Slippers, writes…
“I struggle with condemning. I have since I can remember.
When my husband and I were engaged, we planned our wedding in three months. One afternoon we were sorting out the next twenty tasks to complete. He hadn’t called the bakery about the cake, and he still hadn’t finished his guest list. With annoyance dripping out of every pore, I cut into him with all the shame and blame I could conjure up. How dare he drop the ball and ruin my afternoon. Now I would have to pick up after his incompetence!
After my verbal assault, he sat quietly with disbelief and pain in his eyes. I expected he would scold me for my tirade, but he didn’t. All he said was, ‘Jonalyn, is that how you talk to yourself?’ I was silent, stunned.
Then, slowly, I nodded and began to weep long and hard, realizing that this wasn’t the good life, it wasn’t the abundant life Jesus offered. But it was the only way I knew to be a model Christian woman planning a model wedding.” More on Jonalyn’s struggle in tomorrow’s devotional.
But for today, can we pause to prepare? Can we remember that we have a High Priest with ready access to God? We have an opportunity. Let’s not let it slip through our fingers by pretending that life is easy or that we have to be perfect or that others will always treat us well. Life is sometimes hard; eventually it gets better. In the meantime, we have easy access to God, who is ready to give us something. It will be a merciful, helpful gift. It may not be what we want or expect. It will be better than our limited asking abilities can conjure up! Go for it! Approach the throne of grace!
1 comment:
You said "the state of my soul is far more crucial to life satisfaction than the balance in my checking account." I say AMEN!!
IN the year 2000 the market crashed, crashed our retirement account and personal financil resources due to bad choices.
I took a position in another state, rented an apartment and started over. Every couple of weeks Robin would fly up to visit and your post reminded me of our first visit. She was sitting on the arm of my chair and she pointed out how we had come somewhat full circle back to me living in an apartment and dating long distance like we did when we first started out. We didnt have squat in the bank but we had each other and the knowledge that we had "been there done this" before and made it.
What I have come to love and appreciate about NSC is the mindset that it is ok for it to be messy. No shame just the facts Mam. Many "do overs" as we learn how to think act and become the social (relationships)creatures that we were designed to be.
My journey to Christ is like a comet with a wake of debre. I have discovered that it is ok to fumble with learning how to develope a relationship, to be known and to know Him in a relationalship way. Can we even fathom Moses asking God if he could see HIM? Can we fathom HIS answer to Moses that you can see my back but not my face. What an awesome model of a relationship with HIM. Something to strive for in our meditations to the ONE HE sent.
See Y'all tonight.
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