Perspectives: The Guy in the Glass
Few things prompt us to think of new beginnings as consistently as New Year’s Day. We often make resolutions to lose weight, get into shape, or be more spiritually disciplined. The resolve needed to walk in the fullness of God’s Spirit is not something we should shun nor assume. God has made it clear that we are to throw off the things which hinder us and the sin which entangles us (Hebrews 12); we are to present our bodies as a living sacrifice to God as our spiritual act of worship (Romans 12) and we are to allow ourselves to be crucified with Christ even as we live so that Christ may live in us. (Galatians 2:20)
I have been a participant in two men’s accountability groups since September. As we have made our way through study books, challenged one another to memorize a verse or two of scripture every week, and spend time alone with God for even three days out of the week, I have noticed a parallel pattern in each of these two groups. Each guy has acknowledged that such behavior is good, wholesome, spiritual, and not only pleasing to God but beneficial to us as we seek to devote ourselves to the One we call Lord of our lives. Yet without exception, each guy has fallen short of the goal he set for himself! Not a single one of them has lost a loved one, had a spouse who gave birth to a baby, has been in the hospital or suffered from any major event which may serve as a legitimate reason for such inconsistent behavior. We spoke in the group recently about the difference between a reason and an excuse. Someone put it best when he said that an excuse is “only the skin of a reason stuffed with a lie.”
After 26 years in full time ministry I have concluded that it is not for lack of knowledge that we Christ followers falter in our devotion to His lordship. It is almost without exception that we fall victim to our own cheating of the man in the glass! At the beginning of this New Year it would serve us well to examine our true goal in living the Christian life. If the goal is to get to heaven, we will spend as little time with God as possible to allow us to get there. But if the goal of our Christian walk is to have a genuine love relationship with God, we will spend as much time with Him as possible!
What is your 2010 goal? Which glass will you choose to look into as you go through the next 365 days? We have all seen those trick mirrors that sometimes make us look taller and slimmer than we really are, or shorter and more chubby. Whether it’s the glass we choose that makes us look better than we really are or a denial that
the looking glass is telling the truth, failure is bound to embrace us if adjustments are not made in our daily life!
When we consider the words of God when He tells us we will all appear before the judgment seat of Christ to give an account of what we have done whether good or bad, it will not be a day to get caught cheating the guy in the glass!
May you persevere in your struggle for a deep, meaningful, and consistent walk with God as you grow to love Jesus more each day of this New Year.
This is my perspective. What’s yours? I’d love to hear from you at www.Stonecrestchurch.com. Feel free to drop me a note. 