8/24/15

Some of the most beautiful things come out of a life lived for God. This thought struck me this morning as the sun beat its first rays across the cornfield. Living for God doesn’t make us right with Him, nor does it guarantee we will receive everything we’ve ever desired. However, living for God, does yield God’s best for us.

It’s an interesting concept and one few people understand this side of heaven. God is my everything, so this causes peace and unity in our family. God is my everything, so I marry a godly man who acts out love daily. God is my everything, so we participate together in church. We watch the gears of the church turn every Sunday and help keep it oiled for full operation. God is my everything, so currently my needs are provided for immensely. God is my everything, so I have a home filled with love and a church filled with brothers and sisters to provide for me when a need does arise. I am content.

Life is easy in someways, but God does not guarantee easy. He guarantees His best, so sometimes there will be struggles. Sometimes we may not have a house. We may go through the loss of a loved one or serious illness. There will be burdens and deep gashes of pain, but in the sorrow of those moments, there is still peace. His best, always His best. I will survive. He will remain faithful.

Living life His way means greater financial peace, faithfulness in marriage, generosity, compassion. It means I don’t waste my money on alcohol or gambling. It means honoring your spouse while you are single, not going in a room alone with someone of the opposite sex until you’re married. It means trusting your spouse fully when you’re married. It means reducing the petty arguments and placing the other person first. It means that peace is important among relatives. It means that representing Christ causes you to have excessive patience in business transactions. Some things just won’t be worth it in the grand scheme of life. It means that sometimes that movie or song everyone is raving about hasn’t been listened to or seen. It means serving others in the quiet places. It means attending a local Bible-teaching church on a daily basis and getting involved. It means that there is absolute right and absolute wrong. It means that in those absolutes there are things that cannot be changed. It is not legalistic, because doing these things can earn me nothing eternal. It is not ritualistic, because these are not daily practices for the sake of religion. Rather, I find it is a steadfast choice to pursue the one who loved me first, when I was least desirable and unable to rescue myself, because I did not and cannot measure up to Him through my actions. My actions have nothing to do with His mercy or grace. These are freely offered and accepted with forgiveness through prayer.

Yet, despite the fact that I can’t earn a relationship with Him, God loved me anyways…this is why I choose to live my life differently, because He loved me first. It’s funny to me how often non-Christians or even those that claim to be Christians will challenge this radical lifestyle.

So today, let’s flip the coin. I challenge you. Yes–true Christianity will cause you to choose to live life in a way that honors God first, but from that, you will see the yield of God’s best in your life. Live life His way, and if you haven’t truly given Him the authority He deserves, start today. Surrender every aspect of life to Him, because His best is life’s fullest.

Ironically, the sun continued to rise while I typed this morning. It’s quiet here, and in that quiet, there is peace. I rest in these moments and the satisfaction of a day that has just begun to be lived for Him.