Internal Audit

We are told that we should have a physical every year.  When I was looking for images for this post discovered instructions for self examination of different body parts; all that is focused on our flesh which is in an unstoppable decay, 2 Corinthians 4:7, 16.

As believers we are called to a deeper, more frequent examination.  2 Corinthians 13:5, Proverbs 4:23, tell us that we are to be diligent in looking over our lives.  Do you do that?

From time to time I encounter scripture that reminds me to look deep inside.  Psalm 4:2 is one of those verses, Psalm 27:4 is another.

Only we and the Lord know what is going on inside.  He asks, no commands that we pay attention, and turn what we find over to Him.

Handled Consistently

You may have struggled with how God deals with people who have challenges.  How does a child who is taken before they can talk rationally receive Christ?  How does God engage with those who are challenged mentally?  I have been in many conversations about this over the past 40 years, you probably have as well.  It is a difficult and emotional line of inquiry.  In one of the discussions one of my mentors suggested that God deals with each individual in a manner consistent with their nature.  I am not completely comfortable with that position but it came to mind this afternoon.  Let’s consider it and some of the implications were that true.

You may know an individual who is unteachable, I do.  There is little this type of person does not “know.”  Regardless of education or experience one cannot hope to share anything with this type of person, they are not interested in learning rather sharing their knowledge.  There is another type who is so focused on their own goals, stuff, ministry, job, etc that they have no time or use for those who are not aligned with them.

There are Biblical examples of these types of people.  In these two categories, Saul of Tarsus leaps to mind.  Saul was convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that arresting and executing disciples of Christ was a godly and glorious pursuit.  He was good at it.  He was completely focused on his goal.  So much so that Stephen’s incisive explanation of the Gospel made no dent or difference in Saul’s thinking or goals.  So when he was proceeding down to Damascus to pursue his goals, the Lord slapped him up side of the head with the proverbial 2x4.  It took that, plus a few days of physical blindness, to open his spiritual eyes.  Christ knew that it would take that type of intervention to get Saul’s attention.

There are other examples to which we could point.  As I said I am not certain of the global nature of the observation, but it makes me think.  It makes me think that I want to be more open to the direction of the Lord than Saul was.  I would like to avoid that level of pain if possible.  If it is true that God deals with me according to my nature, I would like to have a nature that learns quickly; one that is responsive to His prompting and leading.

What nature are you presenting to Him?

Living With the End in Mind

In the workshops we do, Fathers to Sons, Dads Teach the Bible, and Parents Teach the Bible, we study the book of 2 Peter.  There are a lot of reasons for this; one is that is only 61 verses long so it can be read quickly.  The second is that it is packed.  One of the themes that permeates the letter is the second coming of Christ.  For the past few days in my time with the Lord I have been reading in Joel and 2 Peter.  Both books examine the coming or “day of the Lord.”

Part of the exercise we do on 2 Peter is to identify the key verse for the book.  In the workshops verses from each chapter have been chosen by the participants for good reasons, there are many through which one can view the book.  One of the verses that someone in each workshop will choose is 2 Peter 3:11.  After telling us that this world is temporary and that it will be destroyed by fire, Peter rhetorically asks how that information should impact our daily life choices.

There are at least two ways to approach the fact that the Bible says Christ is going to return.  One is to try to figure out all of the details and the sequence of events so that we can nail down the particulars.  A lot of ink and toner has been applied to paper in pursuit of this objective.  The second is to ignore all of the hype surrounding this as irrelevant.

Peter, inspired by the Holy Spirit, commands a third response.  To live one’s life in light of the fact that Christ is going to return and at that return will hold His disciples accountable for the choices they have made on their life journey.  Peter’s point of view is that it is not our career or family objectives that should drive our daily decisions but rather the reality of Christ’s sovereign return.  Joel agrees.

How should that impact our day?