I've been thinking about yesterday's talk more than usual. In the message, I talked about X-ponential Growth and what it means for us as God's children. In scientific terms, exponential growth is what happens at the molecular level as our cells divide and multiply to provide basic bodily functions like grow hair, replace skin, and repair muscle. All of this change going on within us isn't necessarily discernable at the time, but the results of it are. We know when we need to cut our hair, when we heal from a sunburn or small wound, and feel better after a workout. This change in the form of growth is just a part of life and who we are. God has designed us this way and takes great joy in watching us become the splendid creature He created. As we acknowledge that this growth process happens within us physically, we can also come to the awareness that it's happening spiritually as well.
God doesn't just download all the information we need to be Jesus followers at our conversion. No, we have a life-long process of learning and growing into the children of God we are created to be. It sure would be easier to have all the perspective in the world – especially when life doesn't go our way – but this learning process is designed to draw us closer to God and others in His family. As we live life with and for God through others, we see similarities and experience common ground we might otherwise not have known was there. We are to look at life through transformed eyes, though I'll be the first to declare this is rarely easy. This is why faith is known as the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things unseen (Hebrews 11.1); it requires us to look to God first as opposed to the things we decide are ,or are not, going our way. Friends, this requires a fundamental change in the way we live life, for we might think we're lost in the shadows, but because of God's love, the only shadow that is cast is that of the cross of Jesus Christ, guaranteeing God's victory and our salvation.
I contend that prayer is the fundamental and most critical element as we begin to consider how we must change the way we view life. When we go to God in prayer, we look to get on the same page He's on. We might think it's to get God to do what we want, but it's really to find out what God wants us to do. When we approach prayer accordingly, then we'll find ourselves changed. The only problem is, this is rarely how we approach it – all too often we ask God to "give me," or "help me," when in reality, we need to ask God to "change me." As Paul said, we all will be changed (1 Corinthians 15.51), so let's make sure we're being changed into the image of God. And again, this shows the importance of prayer as we seek to conform to God's will as opposed to demanding that God conform to ours.
Here are some quotes on prayer and change that have been resonating within me the last several days:
- The function of prayer is not to influence God, but rather to change the nature of the one who prays. (Soren Kierkegaard)
- Be the change you want to see in the world. (Gandhi)
- Peace is not the absence of conflict, but the ability to cope with it. (Unknown)
My prayer as we enter this season of Lent is that we look to God in the midst of life's victories and defeats. To know that the only shadow we truly experience is the shadow of the cross, because our salvation has already been won! We need to Get on God's page and allow Him to steady our restless hearts. He loves us more than we can imagine and has more in store for us than we can conceive.
God doesn't just download all the information we need to be Jesus followers at our conversion. No, we have a life-long process of learning and growing into the children of God we are created to be. It sure would be easier to have all the perspective in the world – especially when life doesn't go our way – but this learning process is designed to draw us closer to God and others in His family. As we live life with and for God through others, we see similarities and experience common ground we might otherwise not have known was there. We are to look at life through transformed eyes, though I'll be the first to declare this is rarely easy. This is why faith is known as the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things unseen (Hebrews 11.1); it requires us to look to God first as opposed to the things we decide are ,or are not, going our way. Friends, this requires a fundamental change in the way we live life, for we might think we're lost in the shadows, but because of God's love, the only shadow that is cast is that of the cross of Jesus Christ, guaranteeing God's victory and our salvation.
I contend that prayer is the fundamental and most critical element as we begin to consider how we must change the way we view life. When we go to God in prayer, we look to get on the same page He's on. We might think it's to get God to do what we want, but it's really to find out what God wants us to do. When we approach prayer accordingly, then we'll find ourselves changed. The only problem is, this is rarely how we approach it – all too often we ask God to "give me," or "help me," when in reality, we need to ask God to "change me." As Paul said, we all will be changed (1 Corinthians 15.51), so let's make sure we're being changed into the image of God. And again, this shows the importance of prayer as we seek to conform to God's will as opposed to demanding that God conform to ours.
Here are some quotes on prayer and change that have been resonating within me the last several days:
- The function of prayer is not to influence God, but rather to change the nature of the one who prays. (Soren Kierkegaard)
- Be the change you want to see in the world. (Gandhi)
- Peace is not the absence of conflict, but the ability to cope with it. (Unknown)
My prayer as we enter this season of Lent is that we look to God in the midst of life's victories and defeats. To know that the only shadow we truly experience is the shadow of the cross, because our salvation has already been won! We need to Get on God's page and allow Him to steady our restless hearts. He loves us more than we can imagine and has more in store for us than we can conceive.
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