For a week we stayed at a house in a village about 4 hours away from Bangalore, India. The drive there was incredible. The scenery reminded me of driving to California on highway 8. I felt oddly at home- something I did not expect. Upon arrival I quickly noticed a neighborhood temple built around the base of a tree that was right beside our house. My teammates and I noticed throughout the week people coming multiple times a day to pray and perform their rituals: wash the exterior and the concrete foundation, walk around x-number of times praying, give food, light a candle, etc. Hindus are so dedicated to their religion and to all of the rituals. I spent some time thinking about this, and it made me call into question my dedication to the Lord. Do I revere the Lord like the Indian people revere their gods? I don’t have a temple to go and pray at. But I am the Lord’s temple. He chose to reside INSIDE me, when he sent His Spirit. Do I take care of my temple the way the Hindus take care of theirs? Is my temple clean like their’s?
For most of my life I thought I was doing a pretty good job at being a Christian. I grew up in the church, didn’t really get into any trouble, was a good student, and three to four nights of my week were spent doing church related activities. I did love God and did want to please Him, but there were things I wasn’t willing to release to Him. I was holding onto past hurts that had created bitterness in me. I sought pleasure from this world. I did not keep my relationships pure. I found joy in going out and getting drunk, rationalizing it away because “it was every once in a while.” The Holy Spirit did convict me and I had remorse, but I lacked the self discipline to do anything about it. I went back and forth on my convictions. Ah…I cringe thinking about how double-minded I was. There was an appeal to this life style, and honestly a part of me still finds it appealing.
So, needless to say…I am not clean.
But, since being on the Race and coming the realize these things about myself, I feel now more than ever wanting to crucify my flesh desires and take up the cross of my Jesus. I have tasted and seen that what He has to offer is so much better than anything this world could EVER offer me. I want to be so Kingdom minded and so filled with the Holy Spirit that I could never think of falling back into a life of impurity and mediocrity. I have found God’s plans are never mediocre. They involve adventure and seemingly impossible circumstances that could ONLY be overcome by His power. They involve ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary tasks. Praise Jesus! That’s what I want to be a part of. I don’t want to hesitate when the Lord is calling me into action. I don’t want to always be looking for “confirmation.” I want to know His voice so well, that I jump up at the chance to obey my Abba.
Friends, these seemingly small things that we justify keep us from living into all the Lord has for us. Throw off the old ways and step into your true identity. In Christ, you are a child of God, you are a saint. Believe it.
I am committed to devoting time with my Jesus, and I know that He is faithful to purify me as I work out my salvation.
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”- 2 Corinthians 5:17
