I've been deep in reflection lately, while continuing to exist in real life;-). I've been really examining what it means to live a holy life. Many things come to mind. God's reality is holy ground. That is why he gives us the Ten Commandments, so that we can attempt to know his standards and his ways. Also, these are practices in obedience. In our modern society it's easy to dismiss God's presence in our lives and omniscience altogether much less his requirments... the Ten Commandments! The churches don't even talk too much about them anymore. Instead, they pretend that ALL law was nailed to the cross and that all we need to do is let Jesus love us. That's so abstract to me. If that were so, then why did Jesus give us the ten commandments? We should be so lucky that the penalty for not obeying ALL of the commandments and laws of the old testament were nailed to the cross. To me, this doesn't mean that God doesn't still have very high standards and hopes for humanity represented in his laws, but simply he knew that men weren't capable of keeping all the laws, AND many of the laws were put on or added to the Jewish beople BECAUSE of their disobedience. It was a punishment. So anyway, I think it's pretty clear that the new standard is AT LEAST following the ten commandments. Alan Horvath always refers to our walk with God as pitching our tent with Elohim. I really like that analogy and have been examining what it truly means. I am just a common person. I am not some great soul winning revivalist or faith healer. I certainly can't raise the dead with my faith, but what can I do? I can read His word and try to follow what it says;-).
Everyone is going to have a different ratio of strengths and weakness's within keeping the ten commandments. Some are holy rollers of the Sabbath and keep it sacred. Others couldn't fathom lying or stealing, but find it difficult to resist commiting adultery (even of the imagination) or find the pleasures of this world highly alluring (idolatry). Living a holy life is committing ourselves to keeping the ten commandments, because these are the parts of ourselves God wants us to overcome. The flesh! The world! I am human.. surprise! I have strengths and weakness's within the ten commandments like everyone. I would say my strengths are not murdering;), stealing, lying, coveting or idolatry. In general I honor my mother, although sometimes I call her a psycho (all in good fun;). I don't worship any other Gods, or any graven images. Commiting to keeping Sabbaths is gut wrenchingly difficult. I am safe with most Sundays (even though I think it's actually Saturday) I spend most of my day with the Lord. Sometimes I'm freaking out because I don't know what I should be doing. Sometimes I'm just resting. Sometimes I'm reading the word or listening to it (something I already do almost everyday anyway). I've also been known to paint a bathroom, clean the house, do laundry, cook.. or reluctantly go to a birthday party (who has a birthday on Sunday?!?) .. I know, I'm a Sabbath loser:-(. It's hard, but I want to commit. I think it would be really good to also add fasting to the Sabbath to up the anti (hard!). I am guilty of accidentally taking the Lord's name in vain. I need to step back and take a mouth-a-lizer. And the juicy one ADULTERY. I have never cheated on my husband in the flesh. We have had a rocky 11year relationship. I can't say I've never cheated on him in thought or in dreams. Recently I've asked the Lord to watch over my dreams and keep them kosher. I am careful not to let seeds of desire grow, as they can so easily, especially when couples are going through rough patches. There's my honesty! Recently, my desire to grow in my relationship with Jesus has superseded my desire for anything else, and that's how I like it. It is really the solution for every weakness, I believe. Jesus is calling us to be holy. Are we listening?
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