What do you blog about when your life is so full that nothing in it can be condensed to a few paragraphs? Let’s admit it, most of what we deal with in our lives doesn’t actually fit into 140 characters. But sometimes it is good to simplify the way we look at things. I came across this verse today for the thousandth time but it stuck with me.
“Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.” – 1 John 5:12
That seems so simple, and yet it is still the core of our salvation and should be the core of our lives. My life may be incredibly full but at the end of each day, the parts of my life that the Son was a part of were alive, and the parts of my day that did not include Him were dead, no matter how much effort I put into them. It really changes how I look at my day.
Whatever effort I put into being a parent, if it does not include Christ, is still dead. However much time I spend on being a good husband, if Jesus is not a part of it, it’s dead. Whatever focus I may spend on music, or church, or friends, or even Bible study or prayer, if Christ is not integrally a part of it, it is dead.
On the other side, whatever I do today however meaningless it may seem to me, a business meeting, cleaning the house, helping the kids with homework, if Christ is a part of it, it is alive.
So my question for myself is: am I going to spend my day messing with dead things? Or am I going to see God bring the things I care about to life?
Good and profound thoughts Todd. Thanks for the reminder.
“If Christ is a part of it, it is alive.” What does it look like, practically, to make Christ part of something? Is it more than just a mental assent or praying without ceasing? Can other people see the changes in you when you include Christ versus when you don’t? How does that change the business meeting or your children or your music? Perhaps it could be called “practicing the presence of God” (Brother Lawrence)?
I think most of the TA Forum community knows I go to 2 churches. The Pastor at my second church preached from 1 John 5 a couple weeks back. Smacked me between the eyes. In a good way. Lifted a burden from me and made me see how I’d been misreading these verses. God first, all the rest will come. Let God love you, love him, and you will keep his commands and be a light. Simple concept, hard to remember. But I’m working on it.
(In case you’re wondering, my misreading was in the thinking that you can know God by keeping his commands. Whereas it’s more that dwelling in him helps you keep his commands. If you need more clarification, ask me. It is 2am after all :-P)
I love Carmel!!! Hey Carmel, how do you get your ava on here? *sorry Todd, just a brief diversion to a techy*
Lol, I do love your way with words! I know it’s a serious topic, but the title did make me take a second look. This is one area that I have been working on and asking a lot of help from God with. I think this also goes with one of the other quotes you put on here about being content with what God has in store for you. When you are content with God’s plan for you and you keep God in the forefront of everything you do, then things like doing the dishes or laundry can even be fulfilling. But it is a conscious effort to do this everyday for me, and I have to admit that unfortunately, it doesn’t happen everyday.