Freedom

Are you free?   Like really free?   I was walking with a buddy at work the other day,  and there are painted lines to separate the walkway from the area in the warehouse where the forklift runs.   The lines are like the commandments in the Bible.   They show us where to walk so sin doesn't run us down like a loaded down forklift.

We see these lines,  and we begin to obsess over where the lines are.   We want to know "is this a sin? "  or "is that a sin?"   We want to know where the edge of the cliff is because we are obsessed with walking on the edge.   We want to stay as close to the temptation as we can without actually stepping over it,  which we usually end up doing.

Maybe it's time we begin to live out of who we really are.   As sons and daughters of God,  we are free to live without being trapped by sin.   Everything in God's laws and commands are there to give us life.   There is fulfillment of the Old Testament laws,  we no longer have to sacrifice,  we don't wear four tassels and we can eat bacon.   We have freeing laws,  like love God,  love for Him sets us free.   Love others because anger and hate are a prison.   Share and build community,  we are meant to be with others.   Avoid those things that will trap you and snare you and destroy your life.

The road is narrow and few find it,  but we don't have to live on the edge of the path.   Let's move to the center and run with the freedom of God's incredible grace.   Let's focus more on how we can love others instead of how close we can get to sin.

I'm Back

Well I haven't blogged in a while.  I have been working nights and still recovering from surgery so I took a mental break.  I continued to read my Bible, but stopped reading just about everything else.  I didn't write anything and just shut down some.  It was a good mental vacation, but I missed writing, so I'm back.  I want to share a few things I learned during my time away.

First, I have found I have a deep craving for wisdom.  I have been reading and re-reading Proverbs in an attempt to gain wisdom.  I have prayed for wisdom and really begun to think about who I spend time with.  I crave wise mentors in my life and need to make a strong effort to be with those who are wise.

I am learning patience.  I struggle with feeling hopeless about my desire for vocational ministry.  I felt called into vocational ministry since I was 16, spent 20 years working and preparing and then it seemed one day is was gone.  There are some days I feel like that life is gone, that I will never again be in vocational ministry.  People love to tell me that I just need to be in ministry where I am.  That's called being a Christian, of course I do ministry where I am.  Vocational Ministry is different all together, and I miss it a great deal.  I must continue to be patient and see what God has in store for me.  It's not easy.

I am learning to take each day as it comes.  There is value in planning and preparation, but the best laid plans do often go astray.  I am trying to put my focus in where I am and what I'm doing.  When I'm at work, I focus on work, and I try to do the same at home.  It's not always easy, I want to focus on all the things I need to do and all the things I have to do and all the things I want to do.  Lots of distractions that I'm trying to cut out.

Now that I'm back, I hope to blog more.  I have a few reviews to write and some things I want to share.  I hope you'll join me as I begin my writing adventure again.  I've missed sharing with you.