Tuesday, 11 August 2009

  • Padiddle

    on my drive into work this morning (at 4:30) i was enjoying my time with Christ.  i was talking, singing, trying to stay awake.  since reading The Shack i have enjoyed many moments like this as i picture Jesus sitting with me- laughing, listening, speaking.  as the radio station faded out, i decided to be silent and listen to Him speak for a bit.  for those of you who have tried this, it is often awkward because "dumb" things pop in your head that you know God wouldn't be saying.  (ex: "i need to remember to stop by cvs to get _______.")

    but this morning i actually didn't have things like that pop in.  it was really silent for a few minutes.  as i rounded a curve, Jesus spoke to me about padiddles.  you know what a padiddle is right?  (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Padiddle)  the one head-light car?  yeah, that's me.  and that's what me and Jesus talked about the rest of the way in to work.

    i am called (and so are you if you are a follower of Christ) to be light in the darkness.  Jesus asked me, "Troy, why do you often go through life as a padiddle?  You don't use everything you have access to.  Yes, you illuminate the path, but not as well as you could."  i heard this as i saw the eyes of a little doe next to the road.

    anytime i drive to work (at crane) early in the morning, i see deer.  and man, having 2 headlights would help me so much.  so i was interested in this discussion with Jesus..."what do you mean?"

    the rest of this post is what i learned this morning...

    Jesus calls me to worship in Spirit and truth.  I am called to live with His power and His grace.  There are two parts (and probably more but for this morning's lesson, let's keep it simple).  I usually am good at one at a time.  The truth is God is love, grace, mercy, hope, peace, completeness.  But the Spirit...oh the Spirit is power.  The Spirit is what worked in Jesus to heal, resist temptation, love the unlovely.

    I think a lot of people are like this.  Some want to focus on his Power- speaking in tongues, His justice, His might, healings, etc.  I picture the guy on the corner at Indiana State hollering at people that "Repent!  God will judge you!"  Or as Rob Bell calls these types, the Bullhorn guy.  (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ouz24ibMiI)

    Others focus on His grace, His love.  The truth that Jesus came to express a love that is often unbelievable.  This is easy for those of us who recognize our own sinfulness and have to cling to the cross.  We so want others to see Christ's love.  We want them to come to His grace.

    Oh to live out a life that expresses both God's grace and power.  To live in a constant state of Spirit and truth.  To lovingly express the beauty of the cross and the power of the resurrection.  To portray Jesus as wholly man and wholly God.  To recognize the power that is living inside of me through the Spirit.  To unwaveringly proclaim the story of redemption through my words, actions, and thoughts.

    I'm tired of being a padiddle.  May I, may the followers of Christ, may we live in His Spirit and truth.  May we illuminate the power we have and the grace we know!

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