Category Archives: What Do You Think? Wednesday

Special Obligation: Living in Newness

Posted on by
Reply

What Do You Think? Wednesday

We all want something new. We like shiny, fresh, pressed and crisp. We were born, actually reborn, for newness, not just new stuff but a new way of life. Living a new way of life should always be our desire, not because it’s a new year but because God has declared us new:

This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!–2 Corinthians 5:17

We don’t need to claim we want to be new; we just have to walk out the newness that God has already claimed us to be and walk in the new life He has given us. No change of the calendar, an address, job, car or wardrobe should dictate our newness, though these may come as a result. Our position in Christ dictates that we use our power in Christ to see the newness in our lives. This is the Christian obligation.

I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms.—Ephesians 1:19-20 (NLT)

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.—Philippians 2:12-13 (ESV)

We are called to consistently walk in newness. We may use the calendar to help us organize how the newness will look but let the activity be based on our position in and the principles and power of Christ. We can do this. We were made to do this.

Check out these New Year blog posts from around the web and let me know what you think:

Consider
The Praise at Your Daily Cup of Inspiration
The Press at Kim Cash Tate: Color Your Perspective
The Revelation at Kingdom Mommy
The Time at Confessions of an Ex-Superwoman

Special Obligation: Speak Out

Posted on by
4

What Do You Think? Wednesday

The Christian has the obligation to speak out (Psalm 82:3-5). This came to me yesterday when I was overcome by the pain of four missing black women being found dead in car trunks. The brutality of their abuse and all abuses toward black women over the years brought me to pain and tears and I was moved to speak on their behalf.

This poem is my speaking out, my sharing what Christ can do to redeem what’s been lost:

What do you think are the ways Christians should speak out against injustices?

Special Obligation: Christ for Christmas

Posted on by
Reply

Photo courtesy of www.visualphotos.com

I’ve only bought one Christmas gift and we don’t even have up a tree. Yep, it’s four days until Christmas and we only have stockings and lights on the mantle, occasional Christmas music wafting and much talk from my 9 year old about wanting a gaming system. Praise God that my husband did some shopping online and picked up a stocking stuffer, but I have done almost nothing. This is not the Christmas season I planned, though it looks closer to the one that I’ve wanted for years. I have wanted to do away with a tree, most of the fattening foods we eat, and gifts that I still can’t figure out what have to do with celebrating someone else’s birthday. I wanted to give up the feverish frenzy of planning, shopping, plotting and hiding, trying to perfect a day whose traditions I question greatly. I wanted to focus on Jesus, celebrating His life that came to earth as human to save all of our lives.

My first major step toward this was writing the blog series “The 39 Days of Christmas,” where for 39 days I examined one Old Testament book each day for Jesus’ presence. Revisiting the posts this year has kept me centered on the One who gives life to this season. Tending to my mom, who has been hospitalized five and a half weeks and has had at least three near-death experiences, has kept me centered on the giver of life this season. Knowing that it was humanly impossible for my best friend’s 91-year-old grandma and her elderly aunts to escape the fire that consumed their home but not them this morning keeps me focused on the giver of life this season. Knowing that I have met insanity, depression, weariness, and frustration this season, but they have not become my friends, helps me rejoice this season about Jesus! Jesus must be the main focus. If not we will succumb to the ones whose job is to kill our joy, frown our smile, drown our spirit and muffle our praise. But Jesus gives life, preserves life and balances life. He is life (John 14:6). So the Christian has the special obligation to have Jesus as the central focus at Christmas time. No other way will do.

What are some ways that you have focused on Jesus this Christmas? What do you need to change in order to make Jesus the focus of Christmas? Please, tell me what you think.

Don’t Believe God

Posted on by
2

What Do You Think? Wednesday
Some things are just worth revisiting, even when we have plans to go elsewhere. Such is the case today. I had another special obligation that I wanted to share, but in my quiet time this morning God made it clear that I had to return to the special obligation that the Christian has to follow the Bible. I wrote about this on November 23, saying that “I find it liberating not to have to develop a blueprint for my life, then on my own have to seek out the contents to build my life and manage them to maintain my life.” I have been liberated through the Bible and am experiencing the great joy that comes from this freedom, particularly during this rough season of seeing about my mom, who has been in the hospital for more than a month.

Yes, the trips to the hospital are numerous and the hours spent there are long. Yes, I have to, along with my siblings, be a watchdog for my mother’s proper care and still care for my husband and children, continue to write, eat right, get some sleep and have some time for me. All of this comes with fervent prayer and fielding texts and calls from my mom’s friends and other loved ones near and far. My schedule is grueling and my face and body feel the effects, but I can truly say with the song writer that “it is well with my soul,” but for some reason some people don’t seem to believe me. They ask me how I am doing. I expect and appreciate that. But what I don’t expect is the repeated questioning that people’s tone of voice suggests, and as one person actually said, “How are you really doing?” Perhaps they believe I should be riddled with worry and that my voice should quake when I speak of all that my mom has had to take. Maybe my face should be flush and constantly gushing with tears. Maybe they expect that I shouldn’t believe God.

Of course, no one would ever say that, but “How are you really doing?” can mean don’t believe God. I understand how people could probe further. Recovering strong black women learned well to wear the masks, those of sterile feelings and super strong veneer. I understand people want to really see my face, make sure that I’m really okay, but I what I want to know is “When is the Bible really true in our lives?” Is it only true when times are good and not when we are going through? Is God indeed a refuge, a place that I can run to and be safe (Psalm 62:8)? Is He not a person that gives me peace that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7)? Can God not keep my mind in perfect peace if I keep my mind on Him (Isaiah 26:3)? Are these scriptures only glorious platitudes and not places for us to strive to be? I could go on, but I want you to chime in. How have people responded to you when you reflect God’s strength in adversity? Do you fall apart and STAY apart, forgetting the strength available in God’s Word? Please, tell me what you think.

Special Obligation: The Breaks

Posted on by
Reply

What Do You Think? Wednesday
The sensation was strong and not easy to take, the constant aching that bent me to my knees. I prayed. I asked God what was with this breaking, this separation from life and death, good from evil, past desires from present ones, the old from the new. I sat and heard that the breaking comes so the building can be firm, built on the solid Rock. There is no stability on shaky ground.

“And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”—Matthew 7:25-27

So the conflict comes to air the truth; the sickness is used to strengthen our faith view; the laying down of life to give us one that God can greatly use, if we let Him. We have to decide to break from the shame, the doubt, the fear, the meat in the form of tears, worry, unforgiveness, bitterness, revenge, backbiting, envy, trash talking, name calling or whatever your present struggle or pet sin is. These will break us if we don’t break from them. Breaking from them is yet another special obligation we have as Christians. We have an obligation to recognize the power of our breaks; they give God the opportunity to build us again, afresh, anew, to bless us so we can bless, too.

“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
. . . a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; . . .”— Ecclesiastes 3:1, 3

What do you think are other things that Christians have a special obligation to break? What things have you broken or need to break in your life so you can be built up?