Thursday, April 17, 2008

The Bible is hauntingly accurate

10:52 PM by Christi Bowman

I am speechless that something written almost two thousand years ago describes the old me, and the new me, that I am becoming, so perfectly. I came across Galatians 5, verses 16-26 in The Message this evening, and here is what it says:

16-18My counsel is this: Live freely, animated and motivated by God's Spirit. Then you won't feed the compulsions of selfishness. For there is a root of sinful self-interest in us that is at odds with a free spirit, just as the free spirit is incompatible with selfishness. These two ways of life are antithetical, so that you cannot live at times one way and at times another way according to how you feel on any given day. Why don't you choose to be led by the Spirit and so escape the erratic compulsions of a law-dominated existence?

19-21It is obvious what kind of life develops out of trying to get your own way all the time: repetitive, loveless, cheap sex; a stinking accumulation of mental and emotional garbage; frenzied and joyless grabs for happiness; trinket gods; magic-show religion; paranoid loneliness; cutthroat competition; all-consuming-yet-never-satisfied wants; a brutal temper; an impotence to love or be loved; divided homes and divided lives; small-minded and lopsided pursuits; the vicious habit of depersonalizing everyone into a rival; uncontrolled and uncontrollable addictions; ugly parodies of community. I could go on.

This isn't the first time I have warned you, you know. If you use your freedom this way, you will not inherit God's kingdom.

22-23But what happens when we live God's way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely.

23-24Legalism is helpless in bringing this about; it only gets in the way. Among those who belong to Christ, everything connected with getting our own way and mindlessly responding to what everyone else calls necessities is killed off for good—crucified.

25-26Since this is the kind of life we have chosen, the life of the Spirit, let us make sure that we do not just hold it as an idea in our heads or a sentiment in our hearts, but work out its implications in every detail of our lives. That means we will not compare ourselves with each other as if one of us were better and another worse. We have far more interesting things to do with our lives. Each of us is an original.

Before God revealed Himself to me, I was a stinking accumulation of mental and emotional garbage. I lived frenzied and joyless grabs for happiness. I had MANY trinket gods. My religion always felt more like a show than anything authentic. I did have paranoid loneliness...that was one of the main reasons why I drank. I can relate to the cutthroat competition, that is where the running myself to death at the cost of everything, came into play. I definitely had all consuming yet never satisfied wants, and a brutal temper goes without saying. There are more up there that I related to. It is AMAZING that THIS WAS ME!! The most terrifying part to all of this, is that verse 21 says "If you use your freedom this way, you will not inherit the Kingdom of God." This verse acknowledges the fact that there is freedom in Christ, but since you are free, you have the freedom to not walk in the Spirit...but if that is your choice, than it says you won't inherit the Kingdom of God. That is scary to me.

There is hope though, if you live Gods way, it says that He will bring gifts into your life...and I have been a recipient of these gifts. Where there was an "impotence to love or be loved, there are things like affection for others." For the first time, in a long time, I am liking people. I now have an exuberance for life. I can't wait to start another day, and try again at the things He is teaching me. I am experiencing serenity. I used to live in perpetual irritation, always needing answers before they were available. Right now there are SO many unanswered questions pertaining to Africa, and I am really at peace with Gods timing in revealing His answers to me. He has been faithful thus far. The rest of the God given gifts are up there, and I am experiencing all of them.

Verse 24 says Among all those who belong to Christ (THAT IS ME) everything connected with getting our own way, and MINDLESSLY RESPONDING TO WHAT EVERYONE ELSE CALLS NECESSITIES IS KILLED OFF FOR GOOD - CRUCIFIED. I know that this is a progressive work. However, it is amazing to me, that since God has become my God, this transition has taken place relatively quickly. In six months time I am no longer consumed with getting my own way, and the things indicative of that, above, have disappeared, save one; and even in that (the brutal temper) I have seen a HUGE heart change, since God revealed to me how to handle it.

The greatest perk, I must say, is that it is so very freeing to not mindlessly respond to what everyone else calls a necessity. Paul put that so beautifully. To truly be in Jesus, and not have to have what everyone else has is to me what really makes His yoke easy and His burden light. I don't need anything but Jesus, and I am a treasured princess no matter what I am wearing, no matter what my kids look like, no matter what neighborhood I live in, no matter what kind of house I own, and no matter what stuff I have in my house. None of these "necessities" matter, because for the first time in my life I feel valued...not for what I have, but for who I am...an overwhelmingly loved child of The Almighty God!!

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