Burn in Hell

"Well, fell on knee

Take to drink

Pray this prayer

And pray no more

I don't doubt, Lord

Don't let go

Don't let go"

Junior Kimbrough

He leads me in paths of righteousness
for his name’s sake.

Psalm 23:3b

What does it mean to follow Jesus? Does it mean that I try my best to love Him and my neighbors, spend time with Him, pray, and repent when I sin? I think that it includes all these things, but as a sinful man I find myself waging war with these activities and seeking my own comfort and needs. And subtly, I find myself measuring my spiritual growth by how often I am successful at performing these acts. What a wretched man, I am!

I have noticed that I tend to look back at where God brought me and I like to look forward to the fulfillment of God's work, but it is very hard to look at the here and now and how to get from point A to point B. In this very real world, where I fight a very real enemy, how do I allow myself to be lead down paths of righteousness for His name's sake? I often find myself saying, "If I just had a better job with a nice boss and weekends off, life would be so much better." Or, "once my car is paid for, my mind will be at ease on regards to finances." What a hollow and shallow view of life I have!

Recently, I have been experiencing some problems at work. I have let these problems at work define who I am. I have let this boss have control over me by allowing a bitter root to spring up and trip me up in feeble pursuit of Christ. The good news of the Gospel is that I am already victorious, that I am Christ's possession and that He has given me everything I need in this life to live holy and blameless, content in all things, and resting in His joy. Without knowing, I have often reduced my Redeemer to my therapist. I only allow Christ to meet the needs that I have defined as opposed to allowing Him to define my true needs. So many people are unemployed, yet in my sinfulness, I would rather quit my job than love my boss. The need perceived is not really a need but a selfish desire that is seeking to allow sin to continue to have a root in my heart instead of submitting to Christ and allowing Him to change me into His image. How can I become more than a conqueror, for His name's sake, if I run from every uncomfortable and difficult situation? It is these little details of life that we must focus on in this war against sin. Christ will lead me through all sorts of uncomfortable and very challenging circumstances. If I view him as anything less than my victorious Redeemer King, then I will always seek to turn to the right or left when the going gets tough.

I am reminded of the words of Isaiah the prophet. "In repentance and rest you will be saved. In quietness and trust is your strength."1 My prayer is that I would fervently cling to the cross.

1. Isaiah 30:15