Friday, October 20, 2006
Am I Different? Are You?
I am due a serious blog about what God has been doing in my life...it has been a while...so here goes nothing. Bear with me, it has been a TEN hour day of baby sitting my new little buddy with all the normal team work, homeschooling, cleaning and whatnot as well. I am a bit tired, but God has placed this on my heart and I feel I should share!
At every turn these days God is reminding me that I have been called out of this world to be HIS! This is not my home and I am not to adjust and grow accustom to it. 1 Peter 2:11 says 'Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage aginst your soul.' WOW...what a calling! I know what it is like to be a "legal alien" in another country. I do not belong here, but I live here. I have picked up many Korean customs and traditions without even trying. However, I have also strived to keep American customs and traditions very real and alive in my home so that my girls know what being an American is. God is calling me to be a "legal alien" to this entire world. I am HIS and Heaven is my home.
So, my first question is this, can anyone tell that I am an alien to this world? Do I live like this is not my home. Or have I adapted to the world around me and (I shudder at the thought) become tolerant of it? God has called me to love the lost but he has not called me to be tolerant of the sin. He has called me to be compassionate to those in need but he has not called me to be accepting of their ways. Loving the sinner and hating the sin is what He wants from me (but that is a whole seperate blog that may come in days to come...because God has placed a lot about this on my heart as well). Does this mean that I am sin free..of course not. I do not want to sound holier than though, because I will be the first to admit that I am a sinner simply saved by grace. However, when he saved me he pulled me out of this world. Unfortunately I fall each and every day back into it and have to run to the Throne of Mercy way too often! In seeking to live as an "alien to this world" I am striving for holiness.
My husband just posted an amazing blog on holiness...you should go check it out because I know I cannot word it as well as he does! But, here it goes. My second question is, what is holiness and how do I get there. Well, on this side of heaven I know I won't reach it but I can sure strive for it. Holiness is living as Christ did. Holiness is living pure and righteous. As the song goes, "Holiness, holiness is what I long for. Holiness, holiness is what need." This has become my prayer. I want to strive daily for holiness. This means taking a look at every aspect of my life. What is on my TV? What is on the radio? What is coming out of my mouth? What attitude do I have? What books and magazines do I read? What is on my computer? What are my thoughts like? If a stranger came into my home would they see Christ or would they see the world? If a stranger spent the day with me would they see something different in me or would they see someone who is just like everyone else they know? Don't get me wrong, this doesn't mean being serious and reverant at all times and never laughing and having fun? NO, I believe Christians should be able to have more fun than anyone else because we have more reason than anyone to celebrate...we know our sin, what we deserve and have been given an amazing grace! However, it also doesn't mean conforming to the ways of the world and taking those ways as our own.
Finally, if I am living as an alien to this world and striving to live a life of holiness am I living it out in such a way that everyone can see? Am I doing it so that people can see a difference in me that they want to have. I feel like I am trying to live a different life but because of my own nature I often come across as busy, stressed, worn out and just plain tired. How sad is that. Why would anyone want to be like me? Why would anyone want to spend their days striving for holiness if they would come across like I do? That means that I am still showing way too much of Peanut and not nearly enough of my Savior! God is calling me to change that. He is calling me to continue to strive for holiness and even step it up and make it the focus of my life. However, He is also calling me to give it all to Him and to let Him be my strength, energy, my refuge and my fortress. In Him I know I can live a life that invites others to want to know what is so different in my life! But the key word there is IN HIM and not in my own!
So, my final questions...are you different, an alien to this world? Are you living it in a way that does not accept the ways of the world but rather invite them to yours? If not...why? If we are called His we are called to be different, to be aliens to this world, to stand apart and not tolerate the ways of the world but show them HIS way!
At every turn these days God is reminding me that I have been called out of this world to be HIS! This is not my home and I am not to adjust and grow accustom to it. 1 Peter 2:11 says 'Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage aginst your soul.' WOW...what a calling! I know what it is like to be a "legal alien" in another country. I do not belong here, but I live here. I have picked up many Korean customs and traditions without even trying. However, I have also strived to keep American customs and traditions very real and alive in my home so that my girls know what being an American is. God is calling me to be a "legal alien" to this entire world. I am HIS and Heaven is my home.
So, my first question is this, can anyone tell that I am an alien to this world? Do I live like this is not my home. Or have I adapted to the world around me and (I shudder at the thought) become tolerant of it? God has called me to love the lost but he has not called me to be tolerant of the sin. He has called me to be compassionate to those in need but he has not called me to be accepting of their ways. Loving the sinner and hating the sin is what He wants from me (but that is a whole seperate blog that may come in days to come...because God has placed a lot about this on my heart as well). Does this mean that I am sin free..of course not. I do not want to sound holier than though, because I will be the first to admit that I am a sinner simply saved by grace. However, when he saved me he pulled me out of this world. Unfortunately I fall each and every day back into it and have to run to the Throne of Mercy way too often! In seeking to live as an "alien to this world" I am striving for holiness.
My husband just posted an amazing blog on holiness...you should go check it out because I know I cannot word it as well as he does! But, here it goes. My second question is, what is holiness and how do I get there. Well, on this side of heaven I know I won't reach it but I can sure strive for it. Holiness is living as Christ did. Holiness is living pure and righteous. As the song goes, "Holiness, holiness is what I long for. Holiness, holiness is what need." This has become my prayer. I want to strive daily for holiness. This means taking a look at every aspect of my life. What is on my TV? What is on the radio? What is coming out of my mouth? What attitude do I have? What books and magazines do I read? What is on my computer? What are my thoughts like? If a stranger came into my home would they see Christ or would they see the world? If a stranger spent the day with me would they see something different in me or would they see someone who is just like everyone else they know? Don't get me wrong, this doesn't mean being serious and reverant at all times and never laughing and having fun? NO, I believe Christians should be able to have more fun than anyone else because we have more reason than anyone to celebrate...we know our sin, what we deserve and have been given an amazing grace! However, it also doesn't mean conforming to the ways of the world and taking those ways as our own.
Finally, if I am living as an alien to this world and striving to live a life of holiness am I living it out in such a way that everyone can see? Am I doing it so that people can see a difference in me that they want to have. I feel like I am trying to live a different life but because of my own nature I often come across as busy, stressed, worn out and just plain tired. How sad is that. Why would anyone want to be like me? Why would anyone want to spend their days striving for holiness if they would come across like I do? That means that I am still showing way too much of Peanut and not nearly enough of my Savior! God is calling me to change that. He is calling me to continue to strive for holiness and even step it up and make it the focus of my life. However, He is also calling me to give it all to Him and to let Him be my strength, energy, my refuge and my fortress. In Him I know I can live a life that invites others to want to know what is so different in my life! But the key word there is IN HIM and not in my own!
So, my final questions...are you different, an alien to this world? Are you living it in a way that does not accept the ways of the world but rather invite them to yours? If not...why? If we are called His we are called to be different, to be aliens to this world, to stand apart and not tolerate the ways of the world but show them HIS way!
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