Over the last few years I have experienced every man's nightmare! Every time I looked in the mirror I noticed that I had fewer and fewer hairs on top of my head. My wife has several theories as to why this is happening: weightlifting, body building supplements, blah, blah, blah. But I am convinced it could only be one thing: Family Pictures!
When you have three young children family pictures are like trying to rake leaves in a tornado. That is why we have taken very few family pictures in the last few years. It seems simple enough for the kids. Dianne and I make the appointment with the photographer. We give them a bath. We pick cute matching outfits. We get them dressed. We put them in the car and take them to the studio. We get their hair looking perfect. With the help of the photographer we get them posed perfect. Here comes the children's part: All they have to do is STAND THERE AND SMILE! Seems simple enough. Well that is why I am losing my hair, because I pulled it out trying to convince them to stand their and smile. Somehow they manage to do everything but that.
What I find interesting is that I think Christians are often like my kids. Listen to Colossians 1 "through Christ God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ's blood on the cross. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault."
God did everything that needs to be done. He reconciled us! He made peace with us! He brought us into his presence! He made us holy and blameless! Here is our part from Colossians 1 "But you must continue to believe this truth and stand firmly in it."
We don't have to work hard to earn God's approval. We don't have to twist God's arm to get him to listen to us. We don't have to chase God down or run after him. Christ did all of the heavy lifting for us. All we have to do is BELIEVE! Our part is so simple. All we have to do is STAND THERE AND SMILE!
I want to make sure you heard that last part correctly. I said our part is so simple. I didn't say it was easy. All we have to do is trust God. All we have to do is stand firm in our belief. When I was fired from my first pastor position, standing firm in my belief was the hardest thing I have ever had to do. I have been tempted to quite my job a thousand times, and it has been extremely difficult at times to just STAND THERE AND SMILE! When Dianne and I have went through tough financial times, it has been very challenging to "stand firm in our belief."
But through every single challenge over the past thirty years of following Christ, he has always proved himself to be trustworthy. He has never once failed me! That is why I continue to "stand firm in my belief" because I know God can be trusted.
I challenge you today to stop running, stop striving, and just STAND THERE AND SMILE!
That is so true brother that we have to stand firm everyday in the Lord. Without him we are truly nothing, and folks applying this everyday to your life takes great faith and trust. I might be only 18 years old, but i can truly say that standing firm in my faith is one of the most rewarding things I have ever abandoned to him.
ReplyDeleteAs Brad said, "that it is simple and not easy"... well he is totally right, but let me go in-depth in why it is not easy. Everyday you face trials and temptations from the devil, which if you don't know who the devil is; he is a person who loses the war in the end, it is up to you to stand firm or not. If you let God lead your life, which I truly believe their is no better person for the job than him, then he will truly reward you. As it says in Matthew 6:6 " But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you." Folks HE WILL REWARD YOU. But you have give your life to him first.
as it says in Philippians 4:13 " I can do ALL things through Christ that strengthens me." In the book of Joshua, how much faith do you think he had to have when leading the Israelites in battle, or any prophet for that matter. Even when Moses departed 12 spies only two came back and said we can take them God is on our side. The others were too scared of the big people in the land, but Joshua and Caleb were like woah look at these rewards God has given us.
But trust me it is simple. All you have to do is praise him. Lay all your burdens at the Cross daily, and he will provide for all your needs. Stand firm in your Faith, and let God be your all, because he is your first love after all.