God's Mercy Does Not Excuse Our Complacency

There is no such thing as a casual Christian.
Christianity takes too much effort.
(Luke 13:24-28; Hebrews 4:11; Hebrews 12:14; 2 Peter 3:14)
It requires too much focus and devotion.
"Purity of heart is to will one thing."
"May my heart's one aim be to fear His Name."

I heard a great quote today from Mark Powell:
"The mission of the Church is to love Jesus. Every thing else is just strategy."

I've realized this week that I'm doing a poor job of this.
I've been negative, short-tempered, selfish, gossipy, and ungrateful.

I don't want the Lord's mecy to be an excuse for spiritual complacency.
Thank God for His mercy:
"Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior, have mercy on me, a sinner."

And He does!
Listen to this verse from 2 John.

Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father's Son, will be with us in truth and love.

Amen, and amen.

But not only am I not "making every effort," I'm hardly making any effort.
And I fear I'm not alone...

"My brother and sisters, this should not be so."

All for Christ

How can you offer your life--all your life--to Christ...
in your current circumstances?

How can you give all to Him today? in the next 5 minutes?

This question is not a philosophical flight of fancy.
It is central and immensely practical.

It's the "one thing" we're called to do.

It's the meaning of life.

Give yourself anew to Him today.

Letdown

It's probably normal to feel a letdown upon completing a difficult season. This past semester was the most demanding I've ever had (as far as workload is concerned). And though it's only been a week, I feel I've done next to nothing since graduation. In actuality, I've driven Mom & Dad back to the airport, watched Joshua all day on Tuesday, kept Lydia at home, and I've begun reading for summer classes. Yet I've mainly goofed off. I have things I want to do and need to do, but haven't done.
Too hard on myself? No, I don't think so. What I've been feeling this week is not guilt--rather, it's a conviction of the Spirit.

Earlier today, I read an account of a housewife who felt pulled in a hundred directions by her obligations and by the many distractions that drain her energy. She didn't mind being drained of her energy... it was the purposelessness of such draining that bothered her. Intentionally giving of oneself, she said, leaves one feeling refreshed. She, however, felt that her unfocused busy-ness resulted in her energy being siphoned away--like water going down the many holes of a drain.

That's how I feel--unfocused.
It shows in that I don't even know what to write about in this blog.

One portion of my daily prayers is taken from Psalm 90. It says:

May the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us.
Establish Thou the work of our hands.
Establish Thou the work of our hands, dear Lord.

Part of God's establishing the work of our hands must be to show us what work
we should do in the first place!
Oh God, may I live with purpose. May that purpose be You.
Sound vague? I think it leaves room for individuality while making sure we stay on course. "Living for God on purpose" sounds like a pretty good way to live.