"If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself daily, take up his cross and follow me."- Luke 9:23
I had to memorize that verse in college (thank you, Clete) and I have never forgotten it. I whip it out all the time. What a great verse and a hard one. What does it look like to deny self.? Well, I have already written about some of the small ways God has been teaching me to deny self. He is not finished teaching me-for sure. The kids and I read this verse as a part of our morning devotion time a couple of days ago. We discussed what it means to deny self. To deny self, means to exercise the spiritual gift of self-control. We must be careful not to be mastered by anything but Christ. Each of us confessed something that we feel could be our master and we decided to set boundaries and ways of accountability to keep us in check. Mine- the computer, Andrew's-the computer, and Alora's--the t.v. The kids were actually on board, whole-heartedly, and more than willing to set the boundaries. I was so proud of them.
We also discussed how this verse is not about denying ourselves things but also filling up with Christ. God's Word is not a book about dont's--it is a book about LIFE, and it is full of do's! We do deny self for the purpose of taking up our cross and following Him--that is a DO. We deny ourselves these things that can master us, for the purpose of being filled to the brim and overflowing with CHRIST. Example, my head is buried in the computer all day and I do not take the time to recognize the needs of my kids. When my computer time is kept in check my time with the kids is more meaningful, leading to more meaningful discussions and more meaningful playtime. Yeah! It's a win. Not a loss. For all of us and our neighbors and our friends.
God has really had a lot to say about this area of my life. As the Light has shined in the dark places of my heart, I have learned that I also need to deny myself the need to run for my life. That may sound weird but let me explain. When things get tough Brooke will run. I run by getting my life really busy so that I don't have to think about the things that are tough. This winter and spring has been some of the busiest times of our lives and all because I made it that way. It is the way I run. I have a natural bent toward being super busy, I like it, but I can use busyness to distract myself from God and internal struggles that need to be laid before Him. When I do this my busyness becomes sin. There, I said it! I do this a lot. But God... Isn't that awesome. But God... is faithful and loves me enough to slow me down and show me what is important in life. I just finished a fabulous book called Finally Alive by John Piper. It has been a refreshing look at the rebirth and what its all about. I read something that I am applying to my life. Well I read alot of great things, but this one is relevant to this particular blog. I like to call certain times in my life spiritual drought. You know, times when it is hard to go to the word. "It is not that there is a drought, it is that the tree is diseased." Ooh man, I like to pass the blame. I must treat the real problem and deny myself the busyness that I have allowed to come in for the purpose of not taking things to my God who loves me with a Never-Stopping, Never Giving Up, Unbreaking, Always and Forever Love. (If you haven't gotten your kids the Jesus Storybook Bible-You need to add it to your collection)
"Blessed is the man whose delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night, And he will be like a tree planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in season, and its leaf does not wither; in whatever he does, he prospers."--Psalm 1:2-3
I want to be that tree.
I had to memorize that verse in college (thank you, Clete) and I have never forgotten it. I whip it out all the time. What a great verse and a hard one. What does it look like to deny self.? Well, I have already written about some of the small ways God has been teaching me to deny self. He is not finished teaching me-for sure. The kids and I read this verse as a part of our morning devotion time a couple of days ago. We discussed what it means to deny self. To deny self, means to exercise the spiritual gift of self-control. We must be careful not to be mastered by anything but Christ. Each of us confessed something that we feel could be our master and we decided to set boundaries and ways of accountability to keep us in check. Mine- the computer, Andrew's-the computer, and Alora's--the t.v. The kids were actually on board, whole-heartedly, and more than willing to set the boundaries. I was so proud of them.
We also discussed how this verse is not about denying ourselves things but also filling up with Christ. God's Word is not a book about dont's--it is a book about LIFE, and it is full of do's! We do deny self for the purpose of taking up our cross and following Him--that is a DO. We deny ourselves these things that can master us, for the purpose of being filled to the brim and overflowing with CHRIST. Example, my head is buried in the computer all day and I do not take the time to recognize the needs of my kids. When my computer time is kept in check my time with the kids is more meaningful, leading to more meaningful discussions and more meaningful playtime. Yeah! It's a win. Not a loss. For all of us and our neighbors and our friends.
God has really had a lot to say about this area of my life. As the Light has shined in the dark places of my heart, I have learned that I also need to deny myself the need to run for my life. That may sound weird but let me explain. When things get tough Brooke will run. I run by getting my life really busy so that I don't have to think about the things that are tough. This winter and spring has been some of the busiest times of our lives and all because I made it that way. It is the way I run. I have a natural bent toward being super busy, I like it, but I can use busyness to distract myself from God and internal struggles that need to be laid before Him. When I do this my busyness becomes sin. There, I said it! I do this a lot. But God... Isn't that awesome. But God... is faithful and loves me enough to slow me down and show me what is important in life. I just finished a fabulous book called Finally Alive by John Piper. It has been a refreshing look at the rebirth and what its all about. I read something that I am applying to my life. Well I read alot of great things, but this one is relevant to this particular blog. I like to call certain times in my life spiritual drought. You know, times when it is hard to go to the word. "It is not that there is a drought, it is that the tree is diseased." Ooh man, I like to pass the blame. I must treat the real problem and deny myself the busyness that I have allowed to come in for the purpose of not taking things to my God who loves me with a Never-Stopping, Never Giving Up, Unbreaking, Always and Forever Love. (If you haven't gotten your kids the Jesus Storybook Bible-You need to add it to your collection)
"Blessed is the man whose delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night, And he will be like a tree planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in season, and its leaf does not wither; in whatever he does, he prospers."--Psalm 1:2-3
I want to be that tree.
No comments:
Post a Comment