When I think of the word "fugitive" usually the first thing that comes to mind is Harrison Ford (and all the raw manhood that comes with that). If you've seen his movie, called..surprise.."The Fugitive" then chances are you kind of get my drift. Harrison Ford's character is literally being chased for just about the entire movie because the authorities believe he murdered his wife (at least I think it was his wife, I haven't seen it in awhile.) But you get the picture. Harrison Ford is running from the police, and while he's doing so.. he's trying to prove his innocence. Its probably one of the most intense movies you can see. Its a non-stop chase scene.
I was talking with my brother earlier, and he mentioned to me the book he was reading called "Crazy Love", and in this book, the author describes how God is relentless towards us. And that completely took me aback. I mean, we know God is all-loving, He died for us, but describing someone as relentless? For whatever reason that strikes home for me. Relentless to me describes Harrison Ford, as well as the Police chasing him in the movie. Ford will stop at nothing to prove his innocence, he relentlessly searches for evidence to clear his name. While the law enforcement is always, relentlessly, on his tail.
How does the idea that God relentlessly pursues you change your everyday thinking? He definitely does. Its a pursuit of you that is greater than any manhunt, or human love story. The relentless love of our God toward us has nothing to do with punishment, because I think a lot of times we view our God as pursuing us as soon as we step out of line, and then after He whips us back into shape, He leaves. Nothing could be further from the truth. God relentlessly pursues us because it was He who designed us! He knows whats best for us, and when we deviate from that course, He puts us back on track with loving grace and mercy. I seem to have a problem calling it "loving grace and mercy", because to be honest, grace and mercy hurt sometimes. When I sin, its not always pretty what God must put me through in order to get it through my thick skull that sin is the destroyer of my soul! But, the Bible says, "those who God loves, He disciplines!" So you see, at the root of our relentlessly loving God is a motive of pure love.
God is patient and relentless toward us, here and now. Seeking us. Protecting us. Guiding us. Correcting us. There is no depth that you can fall into, no mountain that you can climb, no ocean you can swim that will effectively release you from God's pursuit of you. (check Romans 8, amazing.) No matter where you are in your walk with Him. Whether you're running like Jonah, or walking like Enoch, God is pursuing you! He's relentless. Stopping at nothing.
So picture yourself as a fugitive, a sinner. On the road, seeking your innocence, you're escape. But when we look behind us at the one in relentless pursuit, we surprisingly see not our accuser, Satan, but our Savior, Jesus Christ.
What is your response to this relentless love?
In other news...
1. I'm home on summer vacation
2. Chick-fil-a shift tomorrow
3. I played a wicked game of Egyptian Rat Screw tonight
4. Band of Brothers is excellent
5. I'm playing golf this weekend
6. Go Magic
Showing posts with label bible. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bible. Show all posts
5.25.2009
3.22.2009
Window Shopping for Jesus
I Timothy 1:5
"The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith." (ESV)
I read this verse the other day for my NT class and, umm..really, I'm kinda in complete shock I've never read/heard of this before! I mean really.
It's like sometimes I read the Bible like someone would window shop. Yeah, in window shopping every now and then we come across something really, really stinkin awesome in the window..for instance, I would stop walking if I saw a Taylor guitar for under $150 or stuff. I guess you can use your imagination with what you would actually stop for. Maybe a dress, some stylish loafers, one of those cool talking cookie jars, haha, I don't know, use your imagination. My point here though is, when we see something amazing in a store window, usually we just stand there and gaze at it, it sticks in our mind for the rest of the day, and we tell everyone about that great thing we saw in the window. Usually forgetting about it when the next cool window flies by.
Imagine with me though, that instead of treating God's Word like window shopping, we actually run INTO the store at the sight of the amazing item in the window. Too often I look at an amazing verse in the window, and say "Yeah God that's cool!'' Then walk away, failing to realize that INSIDE that store is the author of such an amazing verse, who is seeking more than knowledge of Him, but an experience, and an intimate relationship. What I should do is recognize the amazing "verse in the window" so to speak, as a door to a deeper relationship with God. Asking Him why this verse is here, what's it saying to me, and how can I apply this in my life? How can I let You God use this passage of Scripture to change me into something different, and something more useful to You?
Demon's believe and tremble. Satan knows Scripture just as well as us, if not better. Albeit he misquotes it quite a bit (check out Jesus being tempted). So then what's the difference between us knowing Scripture and the enemy knowing Scripture? I would submit that there really isn't any difference. The difference however comes with what we DO with this knowledge! Satan and his evil horde (horde is such a descriptive word ha) know who Jesus is, and have chosen their pride and sin instead. We as believers know the Word (Jesus) and have chosen HIM. We have the very Spirit of God who promises to "guide us into all truth".
This is kinda a rough reason as to why I started this blog. I'm interested in really getting to the livability (yes, made up word. haha) of Scripture. This is simply a testing ground for bringing Scripture fresh from being read and stored in my mind into a simple action plan that is carried out. I Timothy 1:5 is kinda the verse that kicked this thing off. So I think for the next few posts I want to break this sucker down so that we can turn it around and live it, instead of using it as an answer in another class.
If you decide to stick around, feel free to comment, critique, or anything.. if I'm wrong, call me on it.
~Jared~
In other news,
1. the new Decemberist album will take some getting used to.
2. the bucs need to trade for jay cutler
3. my NCAA bracket was dead, and is now slowly crawling back to life for the Sweet 16
4. call of duty's new zombie level is hard
5. its finally warming up in Lynchburg
It's like sometimes I read the Bible like someone would window shop. Yeah, in window shopping every now and then we come across something really, really stinkin awesome in the window..for instance, I would stop walking if I saw a Taylor guitar for under $150 or stuff. I guess you can use your imagination with what you would actually stop for. Maybe a dress, some stylish loafers, one of those cool talking cookie jars, haha, I don't know, use your imagination. My point here though is, when we see something amazing in a store window, usually we just stand there and gaze at it, it sticks in our mind for the rest of the day, and we tell everyone about that great thing we saw in the window. Usually forgetting about it when the next cool window flies by.
Imagine with me though, that instead of treating God's Word like window shopping, we actually run INTO the store at the sight of the amazing item in the window. Too often I look at an amazing verse in the window, and say "Yeah God that's cool!'' Then walk away, failing to realize that INSIDE that store is the author of such an amazing verse, who is seeking more than knowledge of Him, but an experience, and an intimate relationship. What I should do is recognize the amazing "verse in the window" so to speak, as a door to a deeper relationship with God. Asking Him why this verse is here, what's it saying to me, and how can I apply this in my life? How can I let You God use this passage of Scripture to change me into something different, and something more useful to You?
Demon's believe and tremble. Satan knows Scripture just as well as us, if not better. Albeit he misquotes it quite a bit (check out Jesus being tempted). So then what's the difference between us knowing Scripture and the enemy knowing Scripture? I would submit that there really isn't any difference. The difference however comes with what we DO with this knowledge! Satan and his evil horde (horde is such a descriptive word ha) know who Jesus is, and have chosen their pride and sin instead. We as believers know the Word (Jesus) and have chosen HIM. We have the very Spirit of God who promises to "guide us into all truth".
This is kinda a rough reason as to why I started this blog. I'm interested in really getting to the livability (yes, made up word. haha) of Scripture. This is simply a testing ground for bringing Scripture fresh from being read and stored in my mind into a simple action plan that is carried out. I Timothy 1:5 is kinda the verse that kicked this thing off. So I think for the next few posts I want to break this sucker down so that we can turn it around and live it, instead of using it as an answer in another class.
If you decide to stick around, feel free to comment, critique, or anything.. if I'm wrong, call me on it.
~Jared~
In other news,
1. the new Decemberist album will take some getting used to.
2. the bucs need to trade for jay cutler
3. my NCAA bracket was dead, and is now slowly crawling back to life for the Sweet 16
4. call of duty's new zombie level is hard
5. its finally warming up in Lynchburg
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