Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Bulldozing Mount Sinai


Just this morning I had a strong reminder that Jesus Himself is my hope and life. Sometimes I forget that.

I spend a lot of time thinking about what I should/could/might do in order to live the Christian life. I think about renewing my mind, praying, sowing to the Spirit, reading, calling someone to share our faith in Christ, and lots of other ways by which to live in Christ, reaping what He has earned and secured for me. These are all excellent for me.

But sometimes I get jumped by a particular fleshly or spiritual thing, like covetousness (I want a new car/laptop/piano right now), fear (I have no money for a new car/laptop/piano), lust (I’ll get satisfaction some other way, then), or selfish ambition (I don’t have to wait on the Lord because there are lots of things I can do and really excel at, and get my car/laptop/piano). And I don’t mean a little covetousness or fear or lust or selfish ambition, I mean a mountain load—like all of Mt. Sinai is migrating on top of me, and I am unable to breathe.

After feeling the crushing weight of the assault, somehow I remember or am reminded to look to Jesus as the deliverer and antidote for all that stuff. I speak His name, I call for Him, I think about what He is like and that He lives right now in me, and things begin to change. He’s working.

Jesus is my prized possession who relieves me of covetousness, my confidence and love who drives away fear, my satisfaction who releases me from fleshly lust, my reward who delivers me from selfish ambition, and my bulldozer to push away my personal Mt. Sinai. He really is all that.

I don’t know about you, but I’m simply not able to remember enough about how to live the Christian life, what I should/could/might do, and need Him to do it for me. He’s really good at living in me and likes it when I give Him something to do.

It’s my best way to live—Christ in me.
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5 comments:

  1. Anonymous2:31 PM

    Thanks for the voicemail the other day....it brightened up a very drab day. :o)
    Also, thanks for sending me this email....about Mt. Sinai. It was
    really good.

    Love ya.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous2:32 PM

    Greetings, friend.

    Thanks for the reminders...

    Funny how much we are all so alike and struggle with the same stuff--

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous3:01 PM

    Ralph,

    Wow.

    Thanks for your notes. When I spell it out, I realize how many problems can be wrapped up in only one thought. I wasn't jumped, I was mugged by a gang!

    "I want and deserve at least some satisfaction now, but God hasn't given it to me, so I'll take care of it myself with the next best thing I can find."

    Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous7:35 PM

    "After feeling the crushing weight of the assault, somehow I remember or am reminded to look to Jesus as the deliverer and antidote for all that stuff. I speak His name, I call for Him, I think about what He is like and that He lives right now in me, and things begin to change. He's working."

    Once again thanks for your encouraging words! This paragraph I can relate to because as I sat here reading this at 6pm (after the plumber and water damage guys all left), I could really relate to the words, "After feeling the crushing weight of the ASSAULT." That's exactly what I feel like I've been under - the crushing weight of the assault. So as you said, I just sat here saying the name of Jesus. I just kept saying, "Jesus, you're all that I need!" Nothing's really changed but I feel a little peace inside.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Ralph7:10 AM

    THanks for your comments, everyone. I'm glad this email has prompted you to think we of God, and well of yourselves.

    -Ralph

    ReplyDelete

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