God's Grace is Enough!

I wanted to follow up on yesterday's post by saying this: when we believe in Jesus Christ, when we say that we have given all of our lives to Christ, then our journey with Christ begins.  Giving all of ourselves is a process (theologically called "sanctification") that God will never stop in us as long as we remain open to God's work.  The journey is not our alone - actually the journey to Christ isn't done by self will, self determination, self-effort, or hard work.  Granted, lots of hard work is involved in the journey...as well as  lots of perseverance and lots of determination.  But the journey itself is done by God - that journey is God transforming our hearts, our minds, our will, our thoughts, our lives into Christ-likeness.

Mark 4:26-29 contains a magnificent parable about the Kingdom of God which grows like a field of grain without the farmer understanding how it grows (think 2000 years ago, not about the scientist next door who meddles with the genetics of the grain to make it stronger!).  This is like the journey of a Christian - as long as we keep receiving the Word of Life, as long as we keep repenting from sin, as long as we keep turning towards Christ - Jesus will do the rest, growing us into full crops with the fruits and works of the Spirit by the power of the Holy Spirit working inside of us. 

In our walks with God, we are always companions with God - working alongside and trying to be more like Christ.  However, the measure of our work isn't in how much we give to others, how good we try to be, or how much faith we have.  The real work of a Christian is to surrender the self to God (continually) and to love God with all our hearts, minds, and souls.  This work, which can take many forms but always includes spiritual disciplines, is the crucial work of a Christian because it positions us before God who then does the real work in our lives and in our journeys with Jesus - transforming us into sons and daughters of God.

"Lord, may I surrender all to you, that you may do the true work on this journey - transforming me into your child."

How Much is Enough to Give to Christ?

One of the questions that I have been struggling with recently is, "How much is enough to give to God?"  God asks for everything, absolutely all of ourselves to give to Jesus.  The answer I give, and most other Christians I know, is "I give all of myself over to you Lord - of course!"  But really, when we say we give all of ourselves over to Christ, do we really do so?  Do we give all of our time, all of our energy, all of our life over to God?  Do we leave nothing out, abandoning job and security when God calls, do we give all of our thoughts over to Christ, all of our entertainment/relaxation time over to God?  Or do we hide some things in secret, lose track of God during the day outside of our devotional periods, do we worship God in Church and walk out the door and forget?

Don't get me wrong.   There are times when we can relax and enjoy the good things God brings us in life, including entertainment like sports, movies, music, and video games.  But even during those periods of relaxation, our minds should wander and dwell on Christ...but most times when we are supposed to be devoted to Christ, our minds wander to what we do while we are relaxing!  Instead, let our minds wander continually to God - may our concentration on entertainment or work break and allow thoughts of praise, thanksgiving, worry, concern, or pleas for help rise to Jesus!  "How much is enough to give to God?"  Nothing less than everything...and I think we spend most of our Christian lives arriving at the place where we give absolutely all to Christ!

"Lord, may all my life, all my thoughts, all my love be yours forever!"

Theology of Distraction

Someone recently sent me a quote by Henri Nouwen from an Advent devotional that said this: "I have always been complaining that my work was constantly interrupted until I slowly discovered that my interruptions were my work."  This quote doesn't necessarily originate with Nouwen, but a professor of his from Notre Dame.  However, it's an important quote that can help us to live and notice God working in everyday life.

I think that the meaning behind this quote for the professor was something to the effect of this: "I thought my work was research and preparing to teach, but I am interrupted by family, students, and others, and I discovered my true work (living for God) was all about these interruptions, and not necessarily with what I thought my work was."  This is a profound point in our busy schedules between work, family, chores, and daily necessities.  The interruptions we think distract us from what is important may actually be the most important work for God that we do that day.

I am not saying we should be unfocused while we are at work, or when we need to get something done.  I am of the opinion that focus is necessary when trying to work.  However, we also must be fully focused when people enter our lives...whether family, students, friends, brothers and sisters in Christ, or strangers in the grocery store.  They may be the people we need to share God's love with in that moment...love that we can't share when we are working, staring at a computer or TV, or speed walking through the local store. 

So let's be aware of those "distractions" which interrupt our work, for they may be the work God has for us after all. 

"Lord, help me to be attentive to your will, your words, and those you send to interrupt life."

Reader's Review #2 (in 500 Words or Less)

Dietrich Bonhoeffer is a famous theologian who died in a concentration camp during World War II.  He was sent there because of his role in a failed assassination attempt on Adolf Hitler.  However, while in the camp, he ministered to those around him in a way that brought hope and courage in the middle of hell on earth.  By the grace of God, he also wrote letters and books on Christian living while in the camp.

One of Bonhoeffer's famous works is The Cost of Discipleship.  Without pulling any punches, this book describes the true nature of God's grace through Jesus' life, death, and resurrection - and also the ramifications it has on Christian life.  The entire book is full of deep theology expressing itself in the life of Christian's walking with Jesus.  However, three main points were driven into my heart while reading.  First, our eyes should always be on Jesus - when Jesus calls us to himself, we give our entire lives, our whole beings over to him.  That can mean leaving our jobs, our activities, our safety...all for the sake of Christ.  Second, obedience to Christ is not something to be thought about, not something to be considered, but simply to be done (love God, and love your neighbor as yourself).  The entire second part of The Cost of Discipleship is given over to carefully working through the Sermon on the Mount and obedience.  Third, the way to follow Jesus is difficult - and in the end it all comes back to God's grace.  That doesn't mean we abuse God's grace...it just means we live for God and leave the rest to Jesus. 

The above paragraph is a far oversimplified version of what Bonhoeffer is trying to do, but it's a fair, short synopsis.  One deep one-liner (of many) that may help illuminate the depth Bonhoeffer goes into is this:  "And if we ask how we are to know where our hearts are, the answer is just as simple- everything which hinders us from loving God above all things and acts as a barrier between ourselves and our obedience to Jesus is our treasure, and the place where our heart is" (175).  Upon reflection, this statement drove me to repentance - how many of my thoughts, actions, attitudes, and possessions create even a hint of a barrier between God and I?  Is my heart truly with God?

One Line Summary: Buy this book and read it.  This is definitely a crucial work to reflect on and live with over the course of a month or two.  It can help build on God's current foundation in our lives while challenging us to greater heights of living like Jesus.

Book Reviewed: Bonhoeffer, Dietrich. The Cost of Discipleship. New York, NY: SCM Press Ltd, 1959.