Matthew 7:13-14
“Don’t look for shortcuts to God. The
market is flooded with surefire, easygoing formulas for a successful
life that can be practiced in your spare time. Don’t fall for that
stuff, even though crowds of people do. The way to life—to God!—is
vigorous and requires total attention."
Scripture
quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002
by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs,
CO. All rights reserved.
We’re all about a good
shortcut! From combinations of characters on our keypad that let us
make fancy symbols or print with the touch of a button…to diet
supplements that promise to burn fat while we sleep…to the lottery
tickets that bring the hope of making us instant millionaires…we welcome
any and all opportunities to do things quickly and easily. So why
would we be any different when it comes to our spiritual life?
Today
is my 59th birthday. I woke up with the same white hair…the same extra
pounds…and the same age spots and wrinkles that confirm that I’ve been
on this planet for nearly six decades! There is no magic pill to “turn
back the clock”…and that’s okay. Because today, I woke up! I was able
to stand, walk, and talk…greet my husband who has loved me for almost 45
years (and shared his last name for nearly 42 of them)…and enjoy a
cooling thundershower that moved through our area.
My Facebook
wall and e-mail account are flooded with well wishes from people who
love me. A dear friend sent me an e-card from an artist that my mother
loved. In fact, Mother sent me one of this artist’s cards nearly every
birthday in recent years…and today, my friend felt the urge to send me
TWO of them. So I feel as though I have received a “nod” from my parents
in heaven on this day. Greg has planned a special pizza dinner for me
and invited our immediate family to join us this evening.
God is
blessing me every minute…and I am working hard to pay attention! That
means that even on this day, I am studying His word…seeking His
will…spending time with Him in prayer and thanksgiving. I know that my
eternal future is secured in Heaven…but I also know that God expects big
things out of me every minute that I am alive on this earth. And He
has the same expectations for you! The promise of Heaven may be the
ultimate “winning lottery ticket”…but there won’t be any luck involved
in cashing it!
So as we celebrate the birth of our country today
(and the birthday of a few friends!), let’s remember that there are no
shortcuts with God. We can’t cut corners or use gimmicks and tricks to
get where we are going with Him and fulfill His purposes along the way.
We have to embrace life and share His abundance with others…love them
fully…forgive wrongdoings and operate in encouragement…offer a kind word
and a glimmer of hope…and demonstrate just how amazingly good God is to
each of us.
None of us are promised another day…so we must make
the most of this one! We must give God our total attention and
effort…even on a national holiday! We seem to find lots of ways to
honor our nation on the Fourth of July…but what are you doing to honor
your new life in Christ? Are you doing the hard work to serve God
today…or are you taking a few shortcuts? Isn’t it time to get this
right?
©2016 Debbie Robus
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