Sunday night. . .

Not a bad Sunday here. Kind of just normal and relaxing, but nice all the same. Church this morning was fine (I'll get to it in a moment.) After church, went to dinner with my parents. Then went home and took my usual way-too-long Sunday nap. Then I hit the fitness center, prepared for Bible Study and then went back to my place to chill for the evening. An hour of The Simpsons was on (praise God for small favors!) and then Erin came over and we watched Alias. Not too bad of a Sunday.

Tomorrow I'm looking at another eight hours of training classes. While it is pretty boring, I'm not really dreading it. It's off the phones and means I don't deal with the normal stress of work. Not too bad. Then I have Bible study at Erin's house, which should be good.

So today at church Pastor Bob talked about the world. It was a topic that God has been really hammering home in my life the past few weeks, and it was a lot that I needed to hear.

See, throughout the Bible we're told that if we're friends with the world, we're enemies with God. Jesus promised that if the world hated Him, they would hate us. When you're a Christian, you're made and enemy of the World.

And that's something I've been really feeling strongly about lately. I guess it started in Florida, when I got to be away from my usual trappings and distractions. There was a guy down there we met in Pensacola named Gary. Gary was in his 50s or 60s, had the leather skin of a beach bum, and hit the beach every day, boasting about how he was just down for 31 days at Spring Break. Some people may applaud that or say that's the good life. For me, it made me sick and it made me sad.

Last week at Bible study, we read in 1 Timothy how Paul viewed the end of his life as the final offering. He never got a retirement. The moment he went into the mission's field, his life was a succession of trials, imprisonments, beatings, shipwrecks, and illnessess. And to him, this was perfectly fine! That's the way he lived. . . for him, it was pure joy to sacrifice everything for Christ.

Now I ask myself: who's life would I rather have? Paul's or Gary's? And surprisingly, I find myself answering Paul. I want to be able to pour my life out to Christ and give every minute of it to Him, even if it costs me my relaxation, comfort, and (temporary) pleasure.

Our world would disagree with me and call me crazy. They say work hard so you can have the things you want. Retire and relax. Live for the moment. Get all you have so you can enjoy your short time here on the Earth.

You know what though? I'm sick of our culture telling me about these lies that promise everything.

I reject a lie that tells me I work to make as much money as I can so I can "live it up here."

I reject the lie that says the purpose of life is to enjoy every minute.

I reject the lie that tells me love is having someone to stare at with that deer in the headlights glance or go to the movies with and doesn't require any selfishness, work, or sacrfice.

I reject the lie that people are here for my pleasure and service.

I reject the lie that my worth can be measured by my job, pocketbook, or social status.

I reject, mostly, the lie that tells me meaning and joy can be found in something as sappy as falling in love, as fleeting as riches, and as unreliable as people.

I accept only The Word. And that is all I will strive to base my thoughts, actions, passions, and decisions upon.

I'm going to close this out with one of my favorite songs by Caedmon's Call.


This World

There's tarnish on the golden rule
And I wanna jump from this ship of fools
Show me a place where hope is young
And a people who aren't afraid to love

This world has nothing for me and this world has everything
All that I could want and nothing that I need

This world is making me drunk on the spirits of fear.
So when he says who will go, I am nowhere near.

And the least of these look like criminals to me
So I leave Christ on the street

This world has held my hand and has led me into intolerance
But now I'm waking up, but now I'm breaking up
But now I'm making up for lost time