Thursday August 15, 2013
Too many believers have the idea that becoming a
Christian means we say a prayer and then spend the rest of our lives trembling
before the throne and agonizing over our lack of this, or poor performance in
that. Our theme song is “I’ve been saved
and now I’m suffering for Jesus.”
Too bad about
that!
A
question: Whoever told you that? And was that person foaming at the mouth when
it was said? Was there a wild look in
the eyes?
Suffering can
truly be part of a Christian’s life…but Jesus did the ultimate
suffering on the cross so we could receive His joyful life…not live a
life of self-imposed misery.
So, what does
it mean to continually seek the Lord if it doesn’t involve
suffering and agonizing over every detail of life?
I believe it’s
a lot like playing golf with Dad.
Everything I learned about hitting a golf ball (while maintaining
sanity) came from my Father. Just
starting out, my idea of a great golf shot was to whack the ball with every
ounce of youthful strength I possessed.
I spent most of my time in the woods hunting for my lost ball, instead
of enjoying life in the fairways. It
drove me crazy!
Hanging-out
with Dad on the golf course taught me to swing easily, letting the rhythm of a
smooth swing hit a straight shot. I
would never have learned that on my own.
Now, my Father was
never a professional golfer, or even a good amateur – but I learned by listening
and watching what it was like to play the game and still enjoy it.
Hanging with
our Heavenly Father is a lot like that. You
learn a lot when you listen, watch and wait. Continually seeking the Lord, for me, is staying in His presence,
listening for His voice about a life-issue, or watching what He does with someone
I don’t understand. That kind of thing requires
alertness and patience, but it pays off.
God is willing to
teach us that kind of stuff; it can happen when you hang out with Dad.
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