when i went to college, i attended a private, christian school called Liberty University. every easter the school would put on a huge production. it was quite amazing. it was a musical, but it was set in scenes on the gym floor in our arena and groups of people would go through from one scene to the next. the play depicted the last hours of jesus' life, his death, and resurrection. getting to be right in the middle of it all made the audience feel like they were part of what was happening. i remember it well because i had the opportunity to play the part of mary one year. the guy who played jesus at the time and practically the creator of the whole thing was also our on site worship leader.
as i was studying the other day i was reading in john 14 and came across verse 27, "peace i leave with you, my peace i give to you..." and i was brought back to this particular time in my life because this verse was turned into a song that this man would sing as one of his solos. the reason it's significant is because i happen to know a side to his life that was less than christian. in fact, he struggled very deeply with something for years that eventually overpowered him. when the truth surfaced the whole school was devastated. as i read that verse again i thought of that whole situation and was saddened. he was knowingly taking the lord's name in vain when he'd sing those words. he was taking the Lord's name in vain by almost everything he did in his life because he was singing, teaching, and pretending to be something he really was not on the inside. until i did beth moore's study "when bad things happen to good people" i don't think i had a good understanding how we as christians, even the strongest of us, can fall into such deep sin and then keep pretending and going on as though we love and serve the lord. i have also struggled with some sins since giving my life to Jesus and have done this very thing. put on the right suit and posture and headed off to church. all along, just defaming christs name. taking it in vain. taking in vain all he did on the cross so that i could be forgiven, given a second chance, and loved eternally. i don't like being that person that i've unfortunately been a time or two. i know it's not who god created me to be. my prayer for any of you in the middle of sin, bound by it, but living as though you're free of it...cry out to god. beg him to come to your aid. beg for his forgiveness and to be restored to him again. God hates strife, pride, dissension, and even sin's of omission. he hates it because it robs us of his plan for our life. it steals our joy. it destroy's our lives. god's intentions have always been this. "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11. even choosing not to believe this promise is taking his name in vain. i hope we all can see how god aches for us choose Him. to choose life. to choose to rise up and live a life that shows value to who our god really is.
I corinthians 15:1-4
1 Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures,
2 comments:
I've had similar experiances, both personally and seen from afar. Maybe that is why I really like the song we sing that says; "Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here’s my heart, O take and seal it,Seal it for Thy courts above." I can never remember the title but I always remember that part. Thank you for being so open with your heart.
Trent told me a story the other day that really made me sad. He said he was playing basketball with some of his buddies from BBC. One of the guys was cussing. He said at first he thought that he heard the guy wrong, but he did it again, and then again. Trent said he went to the guy and in a nice way (he added) he ask the guy to quit cussing, he said it wasn't right, and he should get a handle on it. The guy replied to Trent in this way. Quit judging me, you should pray for me and not call me on the carpet. He told Trent it was not his place to ask him to quit and if he really cared he would ask God to help him instead of condeeming him. I was really sad by this comment. I told my son that he did the right thing, and added that he should pray for him too. It makes me really sad that as christians when our brother comes to us and points out a sin that is hurting anothers spirit, that our response is not, Hey, man I am sorry, it is a struggle for me, will you pray for me. Instead you get called out for being a jerk. I have to tell you it really hurt Trent's feelings and the guy who I might add is going to school to go into the ministry did not respond in the way I feel that God would have us respond. Satan will attack us anyway that he can. We must be on guard, and we need to pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ. Thanks Stephanie for your beautiful heart. I am glad that God has given you the gift of words.
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