18 The thorny ground represents those who hear and accept the Good News, 19 but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the cares of this life, the lure of wealth, and the desire for nice things, so no crop is produced.I love mountain-top experiences – in fact, I think they’re necessary. I think there are sometimes in life where you’ve got to experience God is such a way that it leaves you permanently changed. You need to experience the ‘whiter-than-OMO’ side of Jesus.
But I don’t think God calls us to stay there; he calls us down from the mountain top, to be the salt of the earth, to be ambassadors for Christ, to help the needy and liberate the oppressed, etc. He calls us down to our 9-5 existences where we struggle with mortgage repayments, broken washing machines, needing to find a place to stay and wondering if God really meant it when he said that he would always be with us to the end of the age.
That’s where I’m at right now. With the image of God’s brilliance quickly fading away in my short-term memory, I’m forced to take drastic measures to make sure that the attitude that seemed so easy on the mountain-top is maintained in the shadow of the valley.
It says in the Old Testament that when Moses returned from spending time with God they’d have to put a covering over his face because it would radiate light. I wonder if I still radiate light? Is the change in my still noticeably different?
What are the thorns that could stop the seeds that God has planted in my life from producing fruit?
- The cares of this life? Quite possibly – it’s difficult to commune with God when you feel like you’re in a cage but can’t fight your way out of paper bag.
- The lure of wealth? Perhaps not – but perhaps just enough to get buy on and not be embarrassed in certain situations.
- The desire for nice things? Hello! How is it that I can substitute the call of God with the desire to find a hot wife? How much time have a wasted fighting the wrong battles?
No comments:
Post a Comment