Fall Green and Thoughts About Wimpy Christians

Don't let the title dissuade you. I'm not admitting fall is in the air, but there has definitely been a break in the heat and the rains over the weekend have certainly greened up the grass I've been struggling to keep alive. The air is cooler too. Its almost like I smell... dare I say it? Well...fall.

Now that we have that out in the open, I will attempt to put into words what I really want to say. It's about Jesus. And living for Him. And trying to explain why you shouldn't try so hard to be smart and in control and freaked out when things go so very wrong.

Because we live in a fallen world, because we are humans prone to mistakes...and things will go bad, rotten, and wrong...it is the nature of things...because of these things we get discouraged and begin to question the goodness of God.

 We also begin to question who God is when we are following too closely on the heels of people. We feel safe when we follow other Christ followers, especially those that have a PhD in whatever topic they speak or write about, but it is a false sense of security, because those same educated people sometimes walk directly away from the very beliefs they at one time endorsed.

Keeping it real and authentic, your very own, will keep you from such disappointments. Even very right on track people will go over a cliff of their own making when they become too wise in their own eyes. The way I see to making your relationship with Jesus authentic and your very own is to be humble.

Humble as in: Have thine own way Lord, have thine own way...Thou are the Potter, I am the clay. 
Isaiah 64:8

If we have this attitude then bad stuff can happen to us and do us good. We can go through difficult times without thoughts like: Why is this happening to me? or What did I do to deserve this trial? Recognizing my God as my Potter, me as the lump of clay, leads me to worship of my Creator. It leads me to trust and clinging to what He says is good for me, is good for me. The questions of the goodness of God go away because I see His power begin to act on my heart with the result of peace. Peace reigns in a heart that seeks first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.

We get all mixed up in our thinking when we try to figure out the ways of God. Yet Isaiah plainly says this:

Isaiah 55:8-9 New International Version (NIV)

8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
    neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the Lord.
9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth,
    so are my ways higher than your ways
    and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Our world has led us to believe that things should progress to a better place, and that we should have more answers along with our new scientific discoveries and technology increases. Almost everything is done now with speed, less expense, and a strategic amount of time put into it. We are being brain washed that our world should be temperature controlled and comfort at a premium. 

So the concept that in this life you will have troubles..John 16:33... seems wrong. We try to make God more appealing by acknowledging His goodness and acceptance but leave out His holiness and His righteousness and His justice. All of those things is what makes God the Potter, me the clay. All of those things are what makes God, God of my life. Take away God's justice and holiness and righteousness and you get only what you think is goodness and acceptance.

 This progressive thinking then strips the soul of opportunity to: take His yoke upon me and learn of me...Matt 11:29... Guess what? we no longer find rest in our souls either. View God meek and lowly in heart? Never.

Most people still admit they are up for a good challenge or adventure as long as it is climbing a mountain or seeing the Seven Wonders of the World; in those circumstances they are willing to take on risks of discomfort. But ask those same people to live a humble little life full of soul changing experiences, hard relationships, or dealing with garbage of the heart...aka...sin. And they will come up with excuses and reasoning that surely a good God could not mean that.

So we end up with a bunch of wimpy Christians not willing to call things what they are, for fear of man. We no longer need to live holy lives. We don't understand what justice and righteousness actually is, because we have explained away the need for a Potter. We think we can make ourselves, only a lump of clay, into something of worth in our own way and time.

Yes, even I have found myself not comprehending that God's goodness in my life  will sometimes be painful, that living righteously isn't the easy or cushy life. Some days its excruciating heart wrenching gut twisting sacrifice; giving up my will so that God's will can be done on earth as it is in heaven.

But how else will we recognize the Potter is at work in our lives? Be still and know that I am God...Psalm 46:10