.American Jesus.

I know two blog posts in one day! I can't help it. I need to write about this. Let me know share this quote with you from David Platt's book Radical.

" We are giving in to the dangerous temptation to take the Jesus of the Bible and twist him into a version of Jesus we are more comfortable with. A nice, middle-class, American Jesus. A Jesus who doesn't mind materialism and who would never call us to give away everything we have. A Jesus who would not expect us to forsake our closest relationships so that He receives all of our affection. A Jesus who is fine with nominal devotion that does not infringe on our comforts, because, after all, he loves us just the way we are. A Jesus who wants us to be balanced, who wants us to avoid dangerous extremes, and who, for that matter wants us to avoid danger all together. A Jesus who brings us comfort and prosperity as live out our Christian spin on the American dream. But do you and I realize what we are doing? We are molding Jesus into our image."

If you skipped over that, please go back and read it. I am ashamed. I never imagined that that's what I was doing to Jesus. How dare I twist the Jesus of the Bible into something that He isn't? How was it that I sat through countless church services and Sunday school lessons and have never heard that we are molding Jesus into our image? We have things backwards here. We and our Americanized churches are screwed up. We say we believe one thing and we do not. Can I honestly say that I believe in the Jesus of the Bible? Not the Jesus in my mind, the Jesus in the Bible. And if I do believe in the Jesus of the Bible am I willing to believe whatever Jesus says? Am I committed to obeying whatever Jesus says?

Lord- I am ashamed. I come before you humbled and ashamed. I cannot put into words how I feel right now. I cannot believe all of this time I have been molding you into something that you are not. Why have I had this backwards? Show me the real You. Do not let me eyes be blind to the need around me. Please teach me to obey the You of the Bible. The Jesus who left everything and gave His entire life to service. Please open my eyes. Please do not let these words go in one ear and out the other. I desire change. I want something different for my life. You are the change that I need.

.Different Plans.

I am always learning. I am always growing. I am always being challenged. However, I feel like I am always learning the same thing. {Maybe I haven't learned it yet or maybe it's a never ending cycle?} I am constantly learning that my plans may not be God's plans. I do not want to go into too many details but let's just say I had my hopes up. I was for sure this was what God wanted me to do. I was so certain that our plans were intertwined on this. They were not. I got the devastating news yesterday and as it slowly sank in, I realized our plans were not intertwined. Maybe God still has a way to make this work by taking different steps. He could surprise me and everything could come together the way I had thought. Maybe not though. Maybe He has shut the door and has something better for me. For now, I will wait and pray. I am desperately praying that somewhere along this road, that our plans meet up, that He gives me the desires of my heart. If not then I will learn to live with it. After all, who I am to tell God what to do? {Although, I really want to...}

...

Let's be honest...

...learning patience is easier said than done...
... I wish waiting was easier...              
...It's not that easy to wait....
...nevertheless, I wait...