With ALL . . . (part 2)

"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment."
--Jesus

[All means all, but how to live out such a radical command in a world that seems to demand that we "have" certain things in our lives?]

This will always be a struggle. This is something that I've struggled with and still do. It's too easy to sugar-coat and dilute and over-contextualize what Jesus clearly states in His teachings til we can say that this doesn't apply to me or that it meant something else or it's just . . . just . . . but Jesus WAS radical. We know how popular He was with great multitudes following Him everywhere, but there were also many more who like the Rich Young Ruler turned away from following Him, turned away from eternal life because He was a little too radical. Because He said stuff that went contrary to common sense and made demands that can only be made by a Master to His slaves as a King to His people. But the people that turned away weren't hung up on nuances and hyperbole and wondering if Jesus really meant everything He said. They understood Him. And they would not renounce all that they had. Intellectually. Materially. Familially. They turned away from Jesus. And crucified Him.

And it's a struggle for us. It's not a single battle, but a war with campaigns and many battles. But the glorious power of Jesus' grace promises that as we put on the armor and wade into battle day after day, fighting our hearts-- fears, lusts, idols, hate, and pride-- we will be more than conquerors THROUGH HIM! Like Cassie said (in our facebook discussion), we can't do this on our own. If we sound like a broken record, that's ok, because it's essential that the record break and repeat this part of the song . . . over and over and over, every day for the rest of our lives. Because this IS our life-- HE is our life! John 15:5-- "For without Me, you can do nothing."And that's the basis for living free from materialism and love for people and things and ideas that exists outside of a love for God. Because Christ is our life! Colossians 1:16 tells me that I have no reason for existing other than for Christ. And so if there is anything in my life that has a reason for existing outside of Christ then that thing must be "counted as loss."

We need to critically examine each thing in our lives. And where Christ is not pre-eminently dominating, where we cannot say "Christ is our LIFE," there must be radical change, surgical and revolutionary. I guess a good question to ask of everything and everyone in your life is, "Does this world or my heart demand that I have this in my life or has God sovereignly placed this in my life?" and then if it has been put into your hands by your God, ask, "Do I love and enjoy this person or thing apart from Christ? or in Him, through Him, because of Him, and FOR Him?"

Sometimes we'll have to get tough, sometimes we'll have to be creative. Often we'll need both. But through the pain (and there WILL be pain) we'll find in our Husband Christ a joy fulfilled and unspeakable. And can the passing pain compare to the indestructible joy? No, I promise you it cannot.

Happy is . . .?

"Happy Thanksgiving!"

I think five or six of my friends texted me throughout the day just to say that today. Made me feel special that people were thinking of me even on their vacations. "Happy Thanksgiving." And it was, I guess. I enjoyed a lot of (too much) good food. Played football with my family. Laughed at the antics of my nieces and nephews, and just relaxed. Isn't that happy? Yeah, sure, but fulfilling? Satisfying?

Funny (actually sad): I gorged myself on a lavish lunch with turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, corn, all the dessert I couldn't fit into my stomach . . . but I continued to snack on those chocolate covered raisins all day. Even though I wasn't hungry! Why? Because, though my stomach was full, I wasn't satisfied. Happy Thanksgiving--sure, but there was something terrifyingly missing. Adriana got it right. She sent me this verse:
"Come into His presence with singing and into His courts with praise. Be thankful unto him and bless His name, for His mercy and love are everlasting, and His truth endures forever!"

Doesn't say anything about turkey or family or football. Don't get me wrong, I'm thankful for food, family, and fun, but as I experienced today, that thankfulness is pretty superficial, surface stuff. I can fill up my belly and score touchdowns on my older brother and say, "Thanks, God!" for all of that but if that's it . . . ? It's like standing on a mountain peak in Colorado at night with an indescribable, celestial quilt of stars and planets and moons filling a vast and trackless sky above my head, while I stare down at my little flashlight bulb for hours--thanking God for lightbulbs. Lightbulbs are pretty cool, but seriously . . . I gaze at the gift and miss the GLORY.

Adri sent me this verse at lunch time but I was too distracted and still missed it. Til now. What was the Psalmist thankful for? For mercy and love and truth that never ends, never runs out, and can never be outlived. For these beautiful, life-giving glories of God. These are the things that satisfy. Mercy, Love, and Truth, forever and ever--this is the GLORY of God.
I'm thankful for my family. But one day I'll leave them all to go to a land across the sea--for this God of mercy, love and truth is so much better than my family. I'm thankful for food. But one day I'll be glad to leave America, where I would never have to worry about my next meal, to go to a land where people die of starvation--every day--and God's provision will truly be a constant miracle of mercy. I'm thankful for football (and other sports). But I will gladly give up such frivolities for a life of hardship that is envigorated and empassioned by the joy of seeing the Kingdom of God wage unstoppable war against the kingdom of Satan in dark places using the weapons of mercy, love, and truth.

Yeah, it was a "Happy Thanksgiving." And I'm thankful for the things that brought that happiness. But, God, I beg You: give me the heart of this Psalmist; for he was not merely happy--he was satisfied!

With all . . .

"He loves Thee too little who loves anything with Thee which he loves not for Thy sake."
--St. Augustine

This prayer by Augustine makes practical the first and greatest command, the essential mission of our lives: "Love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all you strength." All necessitates an exhaustive fullness, a complete and focused singularity to our love for the LORD. All leaves no room for any other outside passions. No rivals. Does this sound extreme? Over-applicative? Too "radical?" But as a friend reminded me, can anything be too "radical" in love for the One who gives us physical life-- a beating heart and aspirating lungs-- and then, at the cost of the life of His only Son, gives us a new spiritual life-- the only thing that makes our physical lives worth living? No, there can be nothing radical at all about anything I might seek to do and to give my LORD out of love for Him. This is illustrated over and over again in the New Testament. Indeed, Jesus tells us that our love for our own families should be like hate compared with our love for Christ; He tells us that our love for HIM should utterly destroy our love for our possessions to the point that we give everything away to the poor in our passion for following Christ; and as if that doesn't quite cover it all, Christ declares that anyone who seeks and holds onto life to any extent above death outside of a love that follows Christ will forfeit his soul and the true life (that which comes by dying to this dead life).

But, I mean, surely the basic survival and satisfaction instincts are, at least in part, outisde of the demands of this spiritual life and exclusive love for God? no. ALL means ALL. Augustine had it right: "anything . . . which he loves not for Thy sake." This applies poignantly and constantly to my relations to food, to friends, to any clothing, books, car, job, hopes, goals and plans. It applies to my thought and to my writing. To my guitar and my time, my sleep. To my cell phone, my grades, my degree from the University. Applies to my computer, my music, and my movies. It applies to and must dominate every aspect of my life no matter how small, narrow, and seemingly insignificant. All means all.

My Lord, You shall have no rivals in my heart life. "Grant what Thou commandest, and command what Thou wilt." I am Yours alone.