Psalm 146:7-10

Where: My office.
Listening to: Coldplay
Drinking: Starbucks Pike Place
Pray:
God, I'm facing a lot of tasks.  There is so much to plan, prepare and do these next few days.  So much of it is beyond my abilities and control.  Fill me with Your Spirit today.  I want to be connected to you, so that everything I do brings You glory and blesses everyone around me. 

Read: 

⁷ He upholds the cause of the oppressed
   and gives food to the hungry.
The LORD sets prisoners free,
 ⁸ the LORD gives sight to the blind,
the LORD lifts up those who are bowed down,
   the LORD loves the righteous.
⁹ The LORD watches over the foreigner
   and sustains the fatherless and the widow,
   but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.
 ¹⁰ The LORD reigns forever,
   your God, O Zion, for all generations.
   Praise the LORD. --Psalm 146:7-10


Think: 
(Ask, Analyze and Apply)


Write:
In a culture of abundance and freedom, I have opportunity to blind myself to the cause of the oppressed.  If I let my pride have its way, I would even blame the oppressed for their suffering, citing sin and poor judgement.  That would be a tragedy.  Do gays not suffer oppression?  Doesn't God love them the same way He loves me?  What about predatory lenders, murderers and rapists?  The fact is, these were the guys He made his disciples.  I think its interesting that oppressors always have a reason.  They point out why they are right and the oppressed are wrong.  Its easy to forget that we are all messed up.  The least of this world need God's love as much as the great.  They may even be one and the same.  Our God defends the broken and fights for the cause of the marginalized and imprisoned.  I don't want to ever forget that I was once blind and broken.  He redeemed me and entrusted me to care for the broken (Matthew 25).  Christ-like, unconditional love is the goal.  


Also, when I think about how God frustrates the ways of the wicked, I think of how much falls apart when I'm not operating according to His will.  Sometimes, "the wicked" is me.  


Do:
Today, I'm going to check up on our Life Group Leaders to see how caring for the broken is going.  I also have a few oppressed friends that I'm going to remind I love. I think I also need to consider if there is a need God wants me to meet this week, something I have been blind to until now.  

Ultimate Surrender

Today we remember the death of our Savior. Every year I think more about how my response to His sacrifice seems inadequate. He voluntarily suffered the most painful, torturous death possible. “Thank you” isn’t enough to express how grateful I am. Beyond that, I really don’t feel grateful enough. How can I “feel” grateful enough for such a sacrifice?

Jesus modeled the ultimate act of surrender. Remember that Jesus didn’t “want” to die on the cross. He asked the Father to “let this cup pass” (Matthew 26:42). He knew the cross would be painful. He understood what it meant that he would take on the sin of the world. His response was not, “I’d be happy to;” it was, “Not my will but your will be done.” Surrender was Jesus’ response. Not just any surrender, ultimate surrender. He took on the sin of man and died the most excruciating death ever conceived. How can we say a mere “thank you” to a sacrifice like that?

The most grateful response is to follow Him in surrender. The Apostle Paul says that the prerequisites for salvation are belief in the resurrection of Christ and confession that He is Lord (Romans 10:9-10). Confessing Jesus as Lord is not just a comment. It is an act of surrender in itself. Jesus is not just Lord of heaven and earth. He must be Lord of your life. He has to be Lord of every decision, every thought. If you haven’t given him the throne of your life, then maybe that should be your act of gratitude this Good Friday. Jesus surrendered so that you could surrender too. Don’t just tell Him you are thankful. Show Him with surrender.

How do I know if I’m surrendered? I find it helpful to take inventory of my life now and then. Here are a few things that I do to check myself.
• Do I make decisions according to what will bring God the most glory?
• Have I recently told myself or someone else that I deserve something?
• Do I believe God is going to provide for me no matter what?
• Has God led me to do something that I rationalized myself out of doing?
• Is there a sin in my life that I have not repented of?
• Am I holding a grudge or bitterness toward someone?
• Have I done my best to reconcile broken relationships in my life?
• Am I working and resting to the glory of God?
• Am I submitting to the authorities in my life as to the Lord?
• Have I been in prayerful conversation with God?

How are you living surrendered in your life? What specific things do you do differently because you are following Christ in surrender?

Ride the Lion

What would it be like to ride a lion? The thought has been with me for a long time and has been closely tied to a growing desire to be a part of some adventure. This is strange, because for years the spirit of adventure has been typified in the individualism of the American cowboy. Mounted on a horse (not a lion), he chooses his own way with bit and a bridle. I've always been taken with this imagery. The courageous life of a man who answers to none but himself sparks that piece of our hearts that thirsts for risk and meaning.

With respect, I don't think that's true adventure. It is certainly exciting, and it made Clint Eastwood famous. But,to give up everything for the pursuit of individualism, for the pursuit of the self seems to be a narrow goal and a wasted sacrifice. What have I gained if at the end of my life I can say that "I did it my way...for me?" At that, my life, my meaning and my pursuits would all end with my death. A pursuit that ends with me is not a pursuit worth my life.

I'm inspired by the truth that real meaning only happens when one gives his life to something greater that himself. This is what I think it would be like to Ride the Lion. A man on a lion doesn't choose his path. He holds on for dear life. He spends no time looking back, because there is no time to look back. Heart beating, hands sweating, he only looks ahead because there is no telling what will come next. He is completely surrendered to the will of the lion. This is true adventure, and I want it!

I am weary of "cowboy" endeavors that start and end with me. I want to see life from the back of the Lion. Not knowing what comes next, I want to live with the excitement that He's going to take me where He wants to go. This blog is a chronicle of my attempt to live surrendered. I am often tempted to let go. Even worse, I sometimes try to turn or tame this Lion. But, ultimately I'm holding on with all I have. I hope my posts inspire you to grab on and hold on!