My Angry Passionate Spirituality

When we think of passionate spirituality, we usually think of expressing our feeling of religious values; what we believe in.  I see it all the time when I drive through a part of town where a group of religious people stand on the corner, at a stop light, holding up Bibles and signs.  They usually don't say anything - they just stand there, with faces expressing an intense feeling, sometimes anger.  The first time I saw this, I was angry.  I didn't need them standing where I had to stop.  I didn't need to read their signs, or need them to point to The Bible.  I wanted to shout, "HEY, I have a Bible, too!!"  But instead, I never made eye contact and when the light turned green I left as fast as the car in front of me allowed.  

I have passed them may times since then and usually don't think much about them anymore.  If they want to look like crazy people with the men and boys in black suits in 80 degree weather and the women and girls in long skirts, that's their issue, not mine.  

I passed them one day, though and different thought went through my head.  As I drove by, I thought about how passionate they are about their spirituality.  They believe so strongly in the Bible and God, that they risk being called crazy and looking like fools.  They take Romans 12:2 to heart: Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. (New Living Translation)

They don't care what people think about them.  They have "let the Spirit excite them as they serve the Lord" by standing on a busy street corner, showing all the passing people how passionate they are about God. 

I looked up the words passionate and spirituality on merriam-webster.com.  
Passionate is defined as:
       1. easily aroused to anger; filled with anger
       2. capable of, affected by, or expressing intense feeling; enthusiastic, ardent

When I first read that the definition had anger in it - I was confused!  Why would something defined as being filled with anger be used to describe spirituality?  

Spirituality is defined as:
       1. something that in ecclesiastical law belongs to the church or the a cleric
       2. clergy
       3. sensitivity or attachment to religious values
       4. the quality or state of being spiritual

When I looked up the definitions, I realized the people standing on that busy street corner brought out my passionate spirituality.  I was angry at my state of spirituality.  Don't get me wrong, I don't want to stand on the corner with the Bible or a sign; that's fine for them. But I can do other things to show my passionate spirituality.  They were doing what the Spirit led them to do - serving the Lord in their way.  I can stand on my own "busy street corner" in my day-to-day activities and show my passionate spirituality to others through my actions and words.  I can love every person "who drives by me" with brotherly love.  I can take delight in honoring God.  I can continually pray, listen and trust God and let the Spirit excite me as I do whatever God tells and asks me to do.  My "angry" passionate spirituality, that rose to the surface when I first saw the people on the street corner, can be turned into "enthusiastic"passionate spirituality.  

Sisters and Brothers, won't you join me on your own "busy street corner" and show your passionate spirituality to everyone who "drives by"?

God is Faithful

Friend, I've been there!  I have made the commitment to follow whatever God tells me to do. I have made the commitment "Father, today I am going to keep my eyes on you, listen to what you tell me to do, do whatever you tell me to do," and 5 minutes after walking out my door, or as I am trying to get Z up and ready for school, I forget what I just promised God. I get frustrated, angry, do my own thing that I know God would not tell me to do, not take time to pray and listen to what he tells me, take my eyes off Jesus and follow the fallen world.
The best thing about our God is that he is forgiving and faithful. Not because we deserve it, but because he gives us grace!  Just like he kept his covenant with the Hebrews thousands of years ago, when he eventually lead them to promised land, he will keep his covenant with us that he made when Jesus died on the cross for ALL our sins. He does not see our sins, Jesus' blood covers them up. God just sees us. He is faithful, even when we are not!  Pray to God today, thanking him for being so faithful. Ask him to help you become more faithful, that you stop during the busyness of the day and listen to what he has to tell you, through his Holy Spirit that lives in you, from the moment you have your life over to him. Believe in Him and his Holy Spirit; be live in Jesus Christ and that He died upon the cross, taking all sin with him; be live that Jesus died but then rose to be with God his father. The millisecond you believe this, the Holy Spirit comes to live inside you, and God makes a promise to you to be faithful to you, even when your faith in him fails.

For ME 2016 is the year of JESUS - Love, Light, Live, Learn, Laugh

It is the beginning of a brand new year! In looking over last year, there are a few things I would change - about myself! So this is the year I am going to do just that - change myself!  Today, I decided that 2016 is the year of God for me!  I am going to LOVE more, share His LIGHT, live as He made me to LIVE, LEARN about Him and from Him, and LAUGH through every day!  I am going to find my JOY in JESUS and I am going to share that JOY with EVERYONE I see!  I will love the unlovable, light the dark days we live in, live in the present - not the past or future, learn what I can do to help others, and laugh - at myself, and with others - and smile at the unsmiling.  

I understand I cannot do any of this on my own.  I need Jesus to help me.  I accepted my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ into my heart years ago, but I have learned that it is a daily battle to keep my eyes on Him.  I will pray, read His word, share His glory, ask for forgiveness, and change my ways to glorify Him!!  I will listen to what He speaks to me, do what He asks of me, and share how He changes me!!  I will put Him first, let him lead me, and ask him to hold onto me!!  I will have pain, sadness, sickness and heartache, but I will have Comfort, Peace, Joy and Love! I will have JESUS!!