With my birthday coming up I
started reflecting about my age and where it all went and all that stuff. I
thought about a post I seen recently and I found it kinda amusing so I changed
the number to fit me.
“I’m not 53; I’m on my 35th year of 18”, actually been saying
it, lol. My wife seems to agree with the 18 part as she tells me a lot to “Grow
Up”, Ive had co-workers tell me this. In fact in a conversation with my pastor
he said, “do ya think we should act a little more mature?” I got to thinking
while we don’t really have to grow up or act our age, we cant stop getting
older, even if we try to make ourselves look younger our bodies are still the
age they are and nothing in this life can change that.
Although I don’t act my age there
is one area I always want to grow in, that’s my relationship with Jesus. As my
pastor says, “I don’t want to be the same person next year”. I couldn’t agree
more, I don’t want to be struggling with the same things, dealing with the same
issues next year. In fact I like to look back and remind myself of the things I
have given to Him, the things that I am no longer bound by, because of Jesus
taking them away.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 Therefore we do
not lose heart. Though outwardly
we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light
and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs
them all. So we fix our
eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is
seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
I love this even though these bodies we
inhabit are aging and decaying, inwardly our spirit is growing, that’s growing
in Christ. He
doesn’t even promise that we will get through this life with our body intact,
but it doesn’t matter. The spirit matters, the spirit is eternal.
1John 3:2 “Dear friends, now we are children of God, and
what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears,
we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is”.
That’s
really cool when you think about it, because the bible also tells us that
nobody has ever seen God, nor could we and live. So our bodies cant handle
seeing His Glory. But we get new enhanced ones, which are not going to be
flawed.
I
kinda got off subject a bit, (happens a lot, squirrel). I told my pastor I don’t
think we need to act more mature. But growing in Christ is essential for the
believer. I don’t even think that we take a rest and maintain a level of
relationship. We are either growing or sinking. The enemy doesn’t rest, he doesn’t
stop, so we need to keep seeking Him, spending time with Him, to even stay at a
level.
At
first it sometimes takes some effort to dedicate yourself to Him, but doesn’t everything?
If you want to lose weight you have to dedicate yourself to a diet. To get in
shape takes dedication to exercise. So does a relationship with Him, in fact
the enemy will throw every excuse possible your way to get you to not grow in
Him. He doesn’t stop there if you get past personal excuses, then he throws in
people around you to distract you. Just remember the he only has the power that
you give him over your life. Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the
world. Then there’s the awesome promise
in Philippians 4:13 , I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Then
before you know it He replaces that effort with love, and you look forward to
the time spent together. You go to Him knowing He will share Himself with you.
You may have started with a set time, but then it becomes more. You start
noticing Him acting in your life more and more, talking to Him constantly. Then
it becomes more clear what Paul was saying about “praying without ceasing”.
Growing in Him, we all know that He is with
us, but you start realizing that He is there and talking like He is actually
next to you. That’s the way He wants to be with us. It becomes an instant
reaction to thank Him with something good, or instantly pray with some need,
not waiting until prayer time. He wants to be close to us, in fact when we feel
He is distant its because we have pushed Him.
Draw
near to God and He will draw near to you, it’s a promise, and His desire, that’s
how He rolls. Stay Blessed, PJ