A Short-Changed Life

A Short-Changed Life

"For all have sinned and are falling short of God's Glory." Romans 3:23 (GWT)

     At one time or another, one way or another we have all stepped up to the line of "trying to pursue the best life" pulled back the bowstring and let the arrow fly. And we've all missed the point and the mark we were meant to hit. When it comes to pursuing the Life God meant for us to live we've all fallen short and we even continue to fall short every day. But the glorious Truth of the Gospel is that we don't have to. We don't have to miss out on God's Big Idea about Life. We don't have to end up with a bad trade or being short-changed when it comes to God's Best for us.

     My favorite thing about the great Hall of Faith found in Hebrews 11, is that none of those folks ever deserved to be there. None of them consistently dotted all their "I"s or crossed all their "T"s. None of them were perfect in the way we would define the word. But they had been made perfect in every way God defines it. Pursuing God's Best is not about pursuing perfectionism. In fact, it means the exact opposite. Our definition of perfect requires a heavy hand of control on our part, whereas God's definition of the word requires a heavy dose of Healing on His. To embrace the Life God intended for us, to allow our stories to be written as big as they were meant to be, requires surrender and giv-ing up our control and all that comes with it.

     No doubt since our arrival on this planet as a member of the Human Race, we have all missed the mark, been found wanting and without share in the great-ness of Who God is and who He meant us to be. But the Good News is, we don't have to keep on going that way. Romans 3:23 which we usually apply only when we are "leading" someone to Christ, isn't just meant for the unbelieving or back-sliding. It's meant for everyone. When Paul writes these words, who is he talking to? The Church in Rome. The whole conver-sation that this verse is found in revolves around a group of God's People who thought they had everything figured out and consequently had everyone else fig-ured out as well. But Paul is quite clear that we're all in the same sinking ship and Christ is the only answer for Hope and only One we can call on to save us.

     So as you go pursuing Life, make sure it’s the biggest version available, make sure your story gets to be written as big as He meant it to be. Don't get wrapped up in stupid temptations and sin or petty attitudes that don't match the bigness of God's intent for our lives. Stop avoiding those places that need healing and pursuing agendas and purposes that aren't any bigger than your own self-focused Life. Make a choice and make a change to make sure your story is as big as the Author meant it to be.

Fully Devoted Followers | Bukisa.com

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Being The Body

"Don't we take into ourselves the body, the very Life of Christ? ...our many-ness becomes one-ness - Christ doesn't become fragmented in us. Rather we become unified in Him. We don't reduce Christ to what we are; He raises us to what He is."
1 Corinthians 10:15 (The Message)

Ever since I was a kid the idea that the Church is supposed to be the Body of Christ, but yet seems forced to meet in 50 different places, has bothered me. In a bad rendition of Rodney King my heart has cried out, "Why can't we all just get along?" That question still haunts me. Why is it that The Body of Christ has become so fragmented? When did we make the choice to trade in our passion for The Kingdom for a less-wild alternative of growing our own?
Shortly before Paul gives his now famous metaphor of The Body of Christ in 1 Corinthians 12, he gives some instruction for the sacrament of The
Lord's Supper. He points out that we take in who Christ is & then go about ridding ourselves of that which hinders His image in us. "Our many-ness becomes one-ness". As His Body we must learn to reflect His image rather than our own. Paul adds, "We don't reduce Christ to what we are; He raises us to what He is."
This week, this month, today make an effort to defrag the Body of Christ. Be willing to look at those things we cling to as "essential"&"fundamental" to OUR faith, which might not be so essentially fundamental to THE faith. Attend another worship service of a truly Christian denomination other than the one you currently know. Make friends instead of enemies and let Christ make Himself at home in your body and in your Church, living out His Life in us all.