Saturday, February 16, 2008

The Fight....

We just got home from church (we often go to the Saturday Night service) and I thought I would share what the Lord taught me tonight through His Word. Tonight's sermon was called, "The Fight" and I really think that the message is vital for our generation!

First is the fight for a slower pace. This is not simply referring to our hectic calendars but more so to our disordered hearts. In our lives we are so often seeking to find our self worth in what we do, instead of who we are. Who we are is found in Christ, which should be more than enough! We need to stop striving! We have the Lord's approval and that should be our highest delight. I know that I so often forget that I am special! Psalm 8:5 says, "Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor." I am important! Psalm 8:6-8 says, "You have given him dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet, all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field, the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the seas." The Lord gave us so much responsibility, which means that He thinks we are important, so why don't we agree? But the thing that I most often forget is that the Lord sees me as perfect! The blood of Christ makes me perfect. Even in spite of my sin, His blood makes me clean!

Next is the fight for simplicity. Simplicity does not necessarily mean shaving away possessions and responsibilies (though it often might), but it means putting those things into proper focus. Simplicity is the by-product of seeking the right things (God's kingdom and His righteousness) in order to be freed from dangerous things (personal possessions) so as to enjoy the best things (peace and contentment). We can't get caught up in the battle for more things! We need to get back to the basics and place our focus on what is truly important.

Finally, there is the fight for a single day's rest (the Sabbath). God designed us to spend one day a week resting, remembering the past, reevaluating the present, and planning the future. On the seventh day, the Lord rested from His work and spent the day reflecting on His work. We were created in His image, so we too should rest on the seventh day. Leviticus 23:3 says, "Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation. You shall do no work. It is a Sabbath to the LORD in all your dwelling place."

This message was a great reminder for me that we all need to slow down and reevaluate our lives. Life is but a breath.

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