I post every Wednesday and my sole purpose is to nourish your soul along the way. Each month I give away a $10.00 Starbucks gift card to someone who posts on my blog. So leave a post, share an insight, bless lots of people, and just maybe you'll win a jolt of java for you and a friend.
Now on to my topic...
On Monday I had Lisa Bevere on the show and we talked about her amazing book, Lioness Arising. We had a powerful time together. We talked about the call for women to wake up to their divine value and calling. Hundreds of people shared the link to this show with their friends. I'm telling you, if you missed it, listen to the podcast. You'll be inspired. Click here to listen to the podcast (share it with a friend too!).
When my sons were young, I noticed certain weaknesses in them that would deeply impact their adult years if not addressed. One particular son, though he was generous, gentle, meek, and mild, had a tendency to shrug his shoulders and take the path of least resistance in almost any situation. One day I spoke these words to him, "Honey, you know the story of how Esau, because of his immediate hunger and shortsightedness, traded his birthright for a bowl of soup? Well, in certain ways, you do the same thing every time you choose the comfortable path over the courageous one. If you're so short-sighted that you only think about comfort and self-preservation in the immediate moment, you'll miss the bigness of God's call on your life."
We all surrender a portion of our priceless inheritance for a measly bowl of soup at different times, in various situations.
The Bible tells us that when we are in Christ, everything He has is ours. We are now joint heirs with Christ. We are rich in every way so we can be generous on every occasion; blessed to be a blessing. And though our identity and salvation are free gifts through faith, the abundant life and treasures we're called to appropriate here on earth don't come without a fight. We have to contend with a very real enemy who seeks to steal kill and destroy everything good in our lives (see John 10:10).
It's easier to worry than it is to have faith. It's easier to detach from a friend than it is to confront her (I've learned this the hard way). It's easier to stay stuck in a life situation that you hate than it is to seek God for a fresh vision for your life. It's easier to hold a grudge than to extend a hand of grace. It's easier to watch four hours of TV than it is to pray and worship and read for two. It's easier to react to life than it is to respond to God. It's easier to spend money on ourselves than it is to give it to someone who has less than us. It's easier to complain than it is to offer praise. It's easier to notice what you lack than to dance with joy over what you possess.
You get the point.
Every time we lift our eyes and get a glimpse of the bigger picture of who we are and what we possess by faith, God's Kingdom increases in and through us. Jesus said, "I've come that you might have life and life abundantly." But that beautiful life doesn't come without a God-breathed vision and some feisty faith.
May the Lord Himself breathe fresh life into our faith; may He fill us up with renewed joy; may He strengthen our resolve to do the hard thing, the right thing, the thing moves His Kingdom forward in and through us. And may He bring clarity to our vision and perspective so we see ourselves for the rich ambassadors we are. We love You, Lord. Lead us onward.
~Until Next Week