Sunday morning retuning: I wonder how many were moved along in the continuum of the effectiveness of short-term missions Sunday? Pastor AJ and the others who shared did a great job of building a great case for such trips. Have you ever been? You are asking God if He wants you to go in reason to AJ’s dare to go within the next year?
I really enjoy the Star Wars movies. All the cool characters, the great music, and the science fiction of it all. So I was intrigued when I saw this shirt.
It it very “Star Wars-esque” with the whole, long, long ago, in galaxy far, far away look to it. But really what intrigued me was the saying. And I have to admit the intrigue stemmed more from the word sarcasm than the style of the shirt. The reason for this is that sarcasm is something with which I struggle. See the shirt was mine, a gift from my mom nonetheless.
Before we go any further I want you to know that my sarcasm is not something I am proud of today, though I used to be. Using my wit to communicate what was on my mind, with little regard to the feelings of others, was something at one point that I did not mind marking my life. But that is no longer the case.
I would like to say that I am not nearly as sarcastic as I once was, but my family may not see it so. Obviously, my own mom bought the shirt for me so she still sees me as sarcastic. Here is where the real rub lies, between the natural and the supernatural. In my spirit, I do not want to be known for this anymore, but in my flesh, I have no problem with it at all.
When I first saw the shirt, I thought I would just not wear it. Then I started to think of how I do not want to be marked by this natural tendency, but by a supernatural/spiritual one. The sarcasm may be strong with me, but I want to keep it in check by a more powerful force in me, the Holy Spirit.
This struggle makes me think of Matthew 26:41, the latter part in particular, “the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.” It is difficult for me to resist the temptation of being sarcastic, making cutting remarks with my mouth. There I said it. And all my family said, “Amen!” But I do not want to be known as a person who made excuses for or dismissed the weakness of my flesh, rather by the power of the Spirit in me controlling those natural inclinations.
You see you may have a force in you that would be your undoing as well, undermining your witness, especially to those who know you best. You do not have to allow that force to mark your life. Allow a stronger One to keep it in check. You see, sarcasm may be strong in this one, but I pray the Spirit is stronger still. What is your [BLANK]? Fill it in, and submit it to God.
I put the shirt on the other day and Sarah, having not seen it before then, asked me about it and was surprised that I was willing to wear it. Though I know there are those who in some way where such a shirt as a badge of honor, I wear it to remind me of who I can be at my worst, and how careful I must be to keep from being known by that.
Jesus, I am weak but You are strong. May my life not be marked by my natural, fleshly tendencies, but rather by the power of Your Spirit in me. In Jesus name. Amen.
In Christ,
Pastor Timothy
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