this is how i’m doing: in case you were wondering…

So,  I’ve been thinking about this again…

So, since when was McCain God’s candidate?

I love reading the facebook statuses that now read something like “trying to remember that God is still in control.”  If you, Believer, are now deflated by the nation’s choice for president, then you have bigger problems.

God never promised that our government would save us, or was even for us.  In fact, scripture tells us the opposite.  I really did struggle with my decision to not vote but found peace about my decision a few months ago in 1 Samuel 8.  Israel decides they would rather have a king to put their trust in instead of their God; and He allows it, but not without warning Israel what they were choosing.

I accept that by most people’s standards, I have “no right to complain” because I didn’t vote.  I have no need to complain.  I have no faith in government regardless of race, gender or political party.  This election is in no way a “loss” for Christianity or the Church, nor would it have been a “win” had it gone the other way.  My faith is in Christ and his bride, the Church.

This happens to me every time I read practical books (my favorite kind);  I get a few paragraphs or pages into a chapter and I have to put the book down to ponder a nugget of knowledge on a grander scale.  This just happened to me again with Adler’s “How to Read a Book”.

“If the author uses a word in one meaning, and the reader reads it in another, words have passed between them, but they have not come to terms.  Where there is unresolved ambiguity in communication, there is no communication, or at best communication must be incomplete.  Just look at the word “communication” for a moment.  Its root is related to the word “common.”  We speak of a community as a group of people who have something in common.”

After I read that, I immediately began to consider it in context of the Church.  The Church is a community of people who have one thing in common;  faith in Jesus Christ.  We come from every age, race, ethnicity, and socio-economic background, yet we (the Church) all have the same thing in common.  If we look at local churches as being a part of the greater Church, then they all should be equal.  If the local body professes faith in Christ and evidence of this faith is present (the fruits of the Spirit), then the Baptist church next to the Pentecostal church next to the Bible church are all equal.  So, then how do I choose a church to be a part of?

I’ve wrestled with this for the better part of this year.  Could I be so arrogant to think that I will choose the “best” local church?  Is there even such a thing?  If they are a part of the Church, as I am, does anything else matter when it comes to deciding on a church?  What if I could look past all of the differences and see the one true commonality — I think it could make all the difference.

I’ve been considering proximity as my main factor, which should be interesting.  The four churches within a mile of my apartment (why so many??) are, in order of proximity: First United Pentecostal Church, Vineyard Christian Fellowship, Glennwood Church of Christ and Rice Road Church of Christ.  Definitely out of my comfort zone.

One day, we’ll all focus on being the Church instead of going to church.

I think there are really only two motivators in life, love and fear.  Every action I do and every thought I have is motivated by either love or fear.  I’ve observed that my natural or “default” motivator is fear.  Fear of what others will think, fear of failure, fear of rejection, fear of the unknown will direct every aspect of my life unless…

I change my motivation.  Simple concept; swap out ‘A’ for ‘B’, and this has been something that has been a bit of a frustration to be honest.  How do I do something out of love instead of fear?  I can’t just decide to love someone.  I can do kind and loving acts for someone — but to really love them?

I have it all wrong.  My motivation should be love, yes — but not my love for others.  My love for others changes at a whim and is not even something I control.  My motivation is derived from the love I receive from God — His never changing, steadfast, perfect love.

“There is no fear in love.  But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.  We love because He first loved us.”  - 1 John 4:18-19

I am only capable of love because He first loved me.  Step 1 — Receiving God’s love.  I mean REALLY receiving God’s love.  How will I know that I’ve done step 1?  When I do things not because I fear what others think nor because I love them, but because God loves me — I mean really REALLY loves me!

He loves me so much, He gave me a desire to be healthy and fit and a body that is capable of more than I can wrap my head around.

He gave me taste-buds that make eating ENJOYABLE.  Let me tell you, I really enjoy eating.

He gave me a mind that is capable of soaking up knowledge — one that is creative and capable of solving problems.

Most importantly, He paid my debt by dying on a cross so that I could spend eternity with Him forever.

“Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” — John 15:13

…happens to a chicken at 350 degrees.  The aroma is amazing which is only surpassed by the melt-in-your-mouth flavor.  Heat + Meat = Tasty.

Today was one of those days I thanked God that I can run.  A cool front moved through bringing some rain, but more importantly a break in the 90+ degree weather.  It was the PERFECT weather to go running in after work.  I HAD to run today — to forget about work.  Where did this sense of entitlement regarding higher education come from??  You do not have a right in this country to earn a bachelor’s degree — it is a privilege.  A privilege that only about 15% of Americans enjoy.  No, we will not “bend the rules”.  You EARN your degree like everyone else or go home.

Anyway, on my run as I was forgetting about my stressful students, I looked around and marveled at what God had created — the trees, the sky, the horses, the little rabbit and the birds and then I thought about me.  How awesome must this God be that created me, and you and mankind.  The human body is a phenomenal work of art, a finely tuned machine that is capable of not only functioning under extreme stress but it is also capable of becoming stronger.  I have the choice to either make this body stronger or let it waste away — in the end, it doesn’t really matter but between now and then I’ll have to live with the consequences of my choices.

I run because I can;  Because I have two legs and a healthy heart and a great set of lungs.  I think of the parable about the master, the servants, and the talents.  Though they were given differing amounts, they each had the ability to produce MORE with what they were given, and the two that did were rewarded.  There is no reward for status quo.  I have the PRIVILEGE to be active — I’m not entitled to good health, but it is my responsibility as a steward of this body to return it in a better condition that which I received it.