Psalm 149 tells us God makes affliction beautiful by saving you out of it. Here are my thoughts on salvation this Christmas Eve…
So what do you think? Let me know in the comments!
Video Series Launch
Well it’s been a minute since I last posted but I’m still here!
The purpose of this post is to officially announce that I am starting a video series on YouTube! I am dubbing this series, “Behind The Wheel” as its content will be me sharing thoughts and reflections about life and spirituality as I drive places (don’t worry, the camera is safely mounted and operated hands-free; however, I make no apologies for camera-shake… seems an unavoidable by-product of being mounted on the dashboard).
I started doing this on IGTV at first and will probably continue to post episodes there also. However, I am taking this as an opportunity to begin regularly posting content to YouTube as well.
So without further ado, I present Behind The Wheel, Ep. 4.
Opportunity
I’m not waiting for another opportunity. I am not waiting for a chance to make it big in life, strike it rich, or become famous. The truth is that I am famous to God. Being known and adored by God is the most elevated position in the universe. I’m already at the pinnacle of success, fame, and wealth. I am now free to pursue everything I do without a worry in the world because I’m not looking for personal gain, I’m looking to share the wealth.
Jesus Christ does not give me opportunities—He is my opportunity. He gives me permission to live abandoned to His care, to build healthy relationships simply because I enjoy it, to demonstrate to others that they’re worth my time because I am worth God’s time and now I have all the time in the world. I’m not worried about my next paycheck, finding a place to live, or having the right friends/network/connections. I’m motivated to find the people who don’t know who they are, the people lost in the negativity of the enemy, and share the abundant wealth of joy, fellowship, and provision in my life.
The truth about me is that God accepts me. I know this because I have joy. Since God accepts me, my main goal in relationships is to accept other people and demonstrate their value by listening to their stories, celebrating their victories, and plotting ways to bless them. I am looking for people to accept, offenses to forgive, and kindnesses to celebrate. This is who I am because Jesus Christ exists—there is no downside whatsoever!
I’m Done Waiting
I’m done with waiting for my next encounter.
I’m going to give thanks for everything I consume and everything I partake of and everything I engage with as though they were each different expressions of God saying directly to me: “I love you.”
I refuse to live like a love-starved beggar. I am not love-poor. I do not live in a poverty of love. No one lives in poverty—they waste away, they decay, they die.
I will subvert every experience of the ordinary, subduing them to serve the needs of love. The kingdom of heaven suffers violence and the violent take it by force.
Do I feel safe right now? I will receive this as a moment of “I love you.” Thank you, Jesus. Am I enjoying this meal? “I love you.” Thank you. Do I appreciate the way this table allows me to write comfortably? “I love you.” Thank you. Does a particular song pull on my heartstrings in all the best ways? “I love you.” Thank you!
I have a vast host of raw materials around me to frame within the context of love. I refuse to fail to take advantage of them. I refuse to allow a narrow-minded poverty paradigm tell me that only a few select and choice encounters, experiences, and interactions equal true love. I refuse to be a picky love-eater.
My next big love encounter could very well be found in the way the sunlight falls on the floor as easily as it could be found in a person literally saying the words “I love you,” or spending quality time with me or giving me gifts or a hug. God transcends space and time. Every moment could be a moment of quality time with Him. Every item I receive could be a gift from God. Every appropriate touch from someone could be a loving touch from God—we are all His ambassadors. Every thought of love, wonder, thrill, and satisfaction could be God’s own voice within my mind—His spirit dwells in me and interacts with me all the time.
Any mindset that allows for the idea that I am unloved is a mindset of rebellion against God because He gives us all things to enjoy.
I will do violence to apathy and self-pity. I will do violence to the ho-hum, mundane ordinary. I will do violence to the spirit (attitude) of poverty and desolation. I will find and experience the heavenly kingdom of love in the here and now. I will become the encounter I desire and go from one love encounter to even greater love encounters. My mind can re-wire my brain. My healthy loving thoughts can cause my DNA to reproduce correctly in healthy ways. I will restructure my experience by framing all things as coming to me out of love.
I’m done with waiting and pleading. I’m going to live like I’ve been answered, even before I’ve asked. I’m not waiting, I am enjoying and I even have enough to share.
Reading Between the Lines of Genesis 3:6-7 (A Novelization)
When the woman saw that the tree produced fruit that was good for food… she took some of its fruit and ate it. She also gave some of it to her husband who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them opened…
To be honest, now Adam was hurt. It was personal now. He had told her that God put this tree off-limits, yet she violated his boundary right in front of his face! If God wouldn’t allow him to eat of the tree, how could Adam allow her to eat from it? It was as though she had no respect for Adam’s words.
His heart pounding, Adam didn’t know what to think. All of a sudden, he was very unsure of himself. Eve had taken a bite of the fruit and lovingly extended the remainder to him. For the first time, he doubted God. This tree was the only boundary God had set and Eve just crossed it… or had she? God had never set this boundary with her directly. Adam had told her what God had told only to him—he never withheld anything from Eve.
Now with “bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh” still apparently alive on the other side of God’s boundary, was it possible that God had lied? Surely, God would not have given her the ability to do something he couldn’t! Perhaps God changed his mind when he created her? He accepted her offer.
He and she were one flesh. She came out of his side. Why should her fate be any different from his? She had tested the waters and found them to be sweet in her own eyes. Eve had acted outside of what Adam had empowered her to do. If she could eat and still live, then it must be all right for him to grant authority to her decision and follow her lead. Besides, if she did somehow die later, could he bear to not have her by his side? Perhaps he actually loved her more than he loved God. With stoic consent, he took and ate of the fruit from her hand and for the first time tasted regret.