I almost got up Sunday night, but feared Elijah would grab the microphone and announce he had to go poo-poo to the entire church.    Jeff and Todd both stirred up my mind and heart.  Jeff talked about how our lives will crown the Lord one way or another, either with a crown of glory or a crown of thorns.  Then Todd talked about the parable of the sowers in the field and how the people that worked all day were not satisfied when they got the same reward as the people that only worked the last hour.   Both made me think about our motives.  The image Jeff gave was a good one, but I thought beyond that, what is required for that to "work" to transform my heart which then shows itself in my actions and how I live?  LOVE.  I could mentally acknowledge that I can glorify or shame the Lord with my life, but I won't care about that if I'm not in love with Him.  And Todd brought out our human nature which is always concerned with what I am getting out of a situation, but can instead be a nature transformed so that I am so in love with the Lord that I am just happy to be doing His will and working for Him.  I know I've said this many times, but Jesus isn't for sale, He isn't a product to be bought, He's a lover that wants relationship with me. 

 

This also made me think about the young people and witnessing.  Now that I am older I see how difficult it can be to communicate a love relationship to another person.  As a parent, I can only imagine at this point that it would almost be like holding your breath, just waiting to see if your child will chose the Lord or him or herself.  One temptation is to mandate rules and regulations that will keep someone in line and hope it will be internalized.  Or you can take a logical approach and give all the pros of serving God and cons of living for yourself, like you're trying to win a debate.  And it can be effective for some, I guess.  But it always makes me think of a marketing campaign where a company either sees a need or creates a perception of need, then sells you on their product that meets that need.  It's frustrating because these things are true.  We are separated from God, we've been cut off from the purpose of our creation, and Jesus IS the way back to restoration.  But without the element of Love, it is just a transaction, a contract, and not a loving covenant.  Again, sounds like an advertisement, but I think of the scripture in Proverbs that says what a man desires is unfailing love.  Falling in love with Him, which spurs you on to learn of Him and obey Him is the only force strong enough to transform a life.  Not logic or rules or shame.  I want to keep that in the forefront of my mind and in how I represent Jesus to a world that is desiring unfailing love.