Sunday, September 27, 2015

look where you came from

Today's readings: Isaiah 51:1-53:12, Ephesians 5:1-33, Psalm 69:19-36, Proverbs 24:7

Isaiah says something today like, "Consider the rock from which you were cut, the quarry from which you were mined."

He goes a different direction with this... but it brought to my mind something that C.S. Lewis said which I often try to remember when I'm feeling like I'm not doing a very good job following Jesus (which is pretty often).

Lewis tells us to consider that even though we might meet a Christian who has a foul temper, we have to realize where that person started. If a really nice, sweet person becomes a Christian and God starts working on them, they become even more loving and sweet. But if a really nasty, foul tempered person becomes a Christian, they begin moving toward being kind and loving... but that doesn't mean they get there overnight.

Yes, there are miracles. We've all met that one guy who prayed that he would quit cigarettes and never smoked another in his life. God does this sometimes, and I'm grateful that He does.

But just like God doesn't always miraculously heal us of being sick, He also doesn't always miraculously make us kind, loving, patient, or any of the other things that He calls us to be.

So give yourself a break. Look where you came from. You've come a long way, baby.

Thank You, God, for continuing to work on me. I need it.

2 comments:

Julie said...

And we all have a lifetime of changes.

Marcia Tapp said...

And challenges.