“All too often, our online identity is very different from our offline identity.Our Facebook status projects what we want others to think of us, not who we truly are. Our blog posts are shrouded in airs of intellectualism or edginess. We all face the temptation to project a false image of ourselves because we find the real image inadequate. If we are honest, the real image is nowhere near as attractive as we want it to be. We want to be more beautiful, more successful, more creative, more virtuous, more popular, and more intelligent than we actually are. We all have an image problem. The problem, however, is not that we lack beauty, success, creativity, virtue, popularity, or intelligence. The problem is that we believe the lie that obtaining those images will actually make us complete, happy, and content people.
Believing the lie, we fight rigorously to obtain (or retain) our image of choice. We discipline ourselves to lose weight, climb the vocational ladder, learn new techniques, make moral decisions, and strive to be in the know, all to gain the image we so desperately want. The image we believe will make us truly happy, content, and complete. We will fight with whatever it takes—money, time, sacrifice, overworking, and the occasional white lie. We fight and scrap to obtain our desired perception. Why? Because we believe that being perceived a certain way will make us truly happy. We believe a lie. We express faith in what is false. We depend on the undependable. Once we realize that we are building our identity on things that are untrue and unreliable, we can begin to sink our identity into what actually is true and reliable. This kind of image building moves us towards Jesus.
Christianity is about image. It affirms that we were created in God’s image (Gen 1:26-28), which was wrecked in our fall with Adam (Rom 5:12-21), and so desperately needs renewal in Jesus (2 Cor 3:18). The gospel restores and renews our image. It holds up the image of Jesus as most glorious and desirable (2 Cor 4:6) and aligns us with him. Jesus is the image of the invisible God (Col 1:15) and his face reflects the refulgent beauty and glory of God. The gospel is about correcting our vision and reshaping our image so that we can see and reflect “the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God” (2 Cor 4:4).”
(Dobson, Jonathan. Fight Clubs: Gospel-Centered Discipleship 14-15)
My wife and I attended a Potluck with our Sunday School class at Church almost three weeks ago. Now, while most people go to a Sunday School class with those who are the same age or those who are in the same stage of life, we attend a Sunday School class with those who are 2 to 3 times our age and who are on the complete opposite end of the spectrum when it comes to the stage of life. Every week we hear the prayer requests for back aches and knee problems, aging children and sick grandchildren, and the deaths of dear friends and family. Needless to say, at times it can be somewhat discouraging, yet we continue to go.
While at the Potluck I got into a conversation with a retired Engineer who just completed Seminary and was planning to go to South Africa to assist a Missionary. Unfortunately, due to some unforeseen health issues with his wife, they will no longer be able to go. While recounting the story of all that transpired he stopped and made a comment,
“Young guys are always ready to go and do something, but as you get older you are more… more… visionary.”
A simple comment that stuck.
Is this why Senior Saints are usually the Prayer Warriors? They have already seen the futility of going and doing and realize that God is the one who does it. They have a better concept of what needs to be done, what is important as opposed to what is a peripheral issue. They have seen God work and they want to see it again.
The comment at the Potluck by the retired Engineer was followed up with comments about praying for the work and future opportunities. It seemed that, though he was disappointed, he could see what God was doing and saw the part he could have in it. Behind the misty, aged eyes a glimmer of hope as if he could see clearly all the things that are a blur to me as I try to rush around and do.
Right now… I am not really doing anything.
Filed under: General, Personal Lessons..., Prayer..., Reflections..., The Walk...
Psalm 37:25 & 26 –
I have been young, and now am old,
yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken
or his children begging for bread.He is ever lending generously,
and his children become a blessing
Filed under: General, Personal Lessons..., Prayer..., Reflections..., The Walk...
This Morning was the first Morning since December 31st that I drove my Truck to work. For the past month my truck has been parked unable to be driven in the parking lot of our Apartment with brake issues. Well, as of last night, the issue has been resolved along with a Battery issue that came about from lack of use.
So, on my way to work this Morning I was reflecting on the present condition of my Truck with great amounts of Thankfulness to God. Sure, it is old and rusted, has over 215 thousand miles, probably won’t last much longer, and is a money pit at times, but I have a vehicle that gets me where I am going and allows me to work.
It wasn’t long til the Old Hymn entered my mind – “Count Your Blessings.” So, that is what I intend to do:
- I have been Saved by Jesus and Forgiven!
- I have a Lovely Wife who is a constant source of Encouragement. She loves God and desires to Grow in His Grace while showing His Love.
- We are expecting a Baby in July. This, in and of itself, is a blessing beyond Belief. A Gift from our Father’s Hand!
- God has provided me a job in order to Fulfill His command to Provide (I love how that works).
- We have an apartment that fits our needs and keeps us warm… and a place to go when our lease is up. Both have been specific answers to Prayer.
- I have a Loving and Supportive Family on both sides. Both my own and my wife’s family are a Blessing.
- I have Peace, Hope, and Joy due to my relationship to the Heavenly Father and a future that is secure.
- I have Amazing Friends… and though I am not with them and don’t get to see them often, I Praise God for their Friendship and time spent with them.
- ETC., ETC., ETC.
- Oh yeah… and my Truck Runs!
Voddie Baucham Jr. in response to the questions that some may ask:
“Look me in my eyes and ask me this: “How on earth can a holy and righteous God know what I did and thought and said yesterday and not kill me in my sleep last night?” Ask it that way, and we can talk. But until you ask it that way, you do not understand the issue. Until you ask the question that way, you believe the problem is out there somewhere. Until you ask the question that way, you believe that there are some individuals who, in and of themselves, deserve something other than the wrath of Almighty God. When you ask me the question that way—when you say, “Why is it that we are here today? Why has he not consumed and devoured each and every one of us? Why? Why, O God, does your judgment and your wrath tarry?”—then you truly understand the issue.”
(Supremacy of Christ in a Postmodern World pg 63-64)
“I feel like pleading: Don’t waste your life on experiments. There are proven paths. They are marked out in the Word of God. They are understandable. They are precious. They are hard. And they are joyful. Search the Scriptures for these paths. When you find them, step on them with humble faith and courage. Set your face like flint toward the cross and the empty tomb—your cross and your empty tomb. Then, for the joy set before you, may a lifetime of sacrifices in the paths of love seem to you as a light and momentary affliction.”
(John Piper: The Supremacy of Christ in a Postmodern World pg. 83)
On a Morning like this one my thoughts needed to be directed to the Love of God so Wonderfully portrayed through the Terrifying Cross…
“A puddle of incomprehensible love soaking into the soil”
“God in skin marching steadily to the beat of his own love”
Saw this linked to on one of the other blogs that I read. Once again, another solid article by Piper.
