God stands knocking at the door of our soul, waiting for an invitation.
And He beckons us to come to Him.
He tugs at our heartstrings, gently pulling at the most tender places, wanting to heal and mend our brokenness, take away our unforgiveness, replace our hatred, forgive our sins, and fill our emptiness with His all-consuming love that we do not deserve.
But oftentimes, we isolate ourselves from Him.
On the outside it's hard to tell.
It's so easy to get caught up in the lingo and jargon that we, as Christians, are so familiar with. The words roll off of our tongue effortlessly, but void of passion and meaning.
Rituals replace relationship, and superficiality thwarts spiritual growth, pushing intimacy out of our reach.
We become Professional Christians, or participate in Christian Professionalism, or Professional Christianism....or whatever you might call it...you get the idea.
Reading our bible becomes something we check off of our to-do list instead of something we long for because we love spending time with Him Who is the Word.
Praying feels obligatory instead of a privilege to commune with, know and fellowship in the presence of the King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Creator of the Universe, Savior.
We wear ourselves out trying to "prove" our worth instead of allowing God to bring out the best in us.
As my friend Sharon said, "Faithful becomes Sunday worship."
Our lives become filled with unworthy substitutes, everything but the One for Whom we were created.
We have turned our backs and we don't even know it, because we have fooled even ourselves.
I have been there more than once before and it is a lonely, dry, unsatisfying place.
Being a Christian is more.
It is more than Sunday worship.
It is more than an appearance.
It is more than a life "style."
It is our life. Our being. Our reason for existence. Our hope when there is no hope.
Accept His invitation today.
Worship and know Him, offer your heart and the whole of your being.
Let us lose our professionalism and be real with God....so He can be real through us.
Substantial Amount
1 week ago
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5 friends had this to say:
We certainly don't need to be 'professional' to prove our worth or look good in front of others. If only we let God be Lord andour hearts are bowed down before Him with broken and contrite hearts, we can have a close—rather than professional—relationship with Him.
I like your blog very much. The first thing that caught my eyes when I visit your site is the caption, "Is That You, Lord? Hearing His Voice Above All The Noise."
Just recently, I wrote a devotional on the topic of 'Amid the Noise.' Yes, we certainly need to have ears that hear above and beyond the noise!
God bless you.
Ohh, great post Shelly! I love this about our God... "He tugs at our heartstrings, gently pulling at the most tender places, wanting to heal and mend our brokenness, take away our unforgiveness, replace our hatred, forgive our sins, and fill our emptiness with His all-consuming love that we do not deserve." Despite the fact that all you said is true He still pursues us. It amazes me. It's that love that He has for us that motivates me to try and be different... for Him. The simple reminder that it's not about me seems to set me back on course when I drive crazily off path. Thank you, great post as always!
Shelly - ABSOLUTELY POWERFUL!
I know you mentioned that you had this blog idea floating around in your head (and your spirit). It was so great to read it all "fleshed out." You have written about conviction and commitment - about how they have to go together.
You cannot be fully committed without feeling the conviction of the Spirit, and yielding your all to the Lord. And yet, you cannot be convicted if you haven't committed your heart to the Lord, seeking only Him above all else.
May I continue to be aware of the "masks" I wear - and courageous enough to remove them.
May my outside match my inside - so that it's EASY to tell whom I serve.
GOD BLESS!
(p.s. Thanks for the little "shout-out!")
Wow... stumbled across your blog.
This post is so powerful.
My, how we get caught up in what the outside looks like, but the One who pursues us is most concerned with the issues of our heart!
Love this, thanks for sharing!!
xxx
Hi Shelly, great post! Take care. Blessings
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