My brother recently blogged about sin that crept into his life, and the consequences of it. His consequences cost him a lot of money, and frustration, and time. My consequences were far different.
I recently took up an old hobby, I'm not going to tell you my hobby, but it doesn't appear to be a sinful hobby if you think about it. But, I felt convicted of this hobby many many years ago and know I'm not suppose to do it. Every now and then, this hobby comes out of no where and I engage in it with interest, as it could possibly be useful one day. But, I'm not suppose to do it. I spent the last week and a half doing it anyway though, and now I find myself in an interesting position.
I lost my fire. My ummph. It's the passion inside me that has me joyful most of the time, that has my mind passionately for or against certain things/topics and also keeps several topics swirling around in my mind nearly overwhelmingly constant. It's an incredible feeling that leaves me breathless and excited, and ready to take on the world. Never without something to say.
And as quietly as it appeared and grew, it vanished. Leaving me going 'huh?' Then immediately my mind went back to my sin, my 'hobby' and reminded me again that anything less than obedience is unacceptable - and comes at a cost.
I started thinking about how I needed a renewing of my mind (anything to get my mind of needing a repentance from disobedience!) and did a bible search for "renew mind" And it gave me two hits, but the best one was Ephesians 4. I'll try and just give you the last half. With just this final exhortation: If there's anything stopping you from being where you want to be with God, from growing and thriving in His amazing grace. Get rid of it. From someone that has tasted grace, let me tell you, my hobby, though however difficult to give up, isn't worth what I have already paid.
Ephesians 4:22-32
That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil. Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
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2 comments:
I think that the closer you come to God the less He tolerates "sin." I put sin in quotation marks because your hobby may very well not be a sin for me to pursue, but as God has told you to leave it then for you it is sin. For a time God tolerated the ark of the covenant riding on the wagon pulled by some oxen when David was returning it to Jerusalem. But as they neared God's house, Uzzah touched the ark and was instantly struck down. Fortunately, God hasn't yet struck us dead for our disobedience, but that is probably only an indication of how far we are from His house. As you draw nearer to God, He demands more holiness. In order to see the full glory of God, we must completely put aside the things that would catch fire in the consuming fire of His glory lest we be consumed along with them.
Look at the life of David though. A man after God's own heart, yet sin, after sin, after sin. Big sins like adultery and murder , yet "man after Gods own heart". I don't think the closer to God you get, the more He's willing to make His discipline hurt more(death). Think of it from a parents standpoint, if you have a child that's, oh, say 12 yrs old. And s/he's been studying hard, working really hard, doing chores, kind to others, really doing everything s/he can to be the best s/he can be, if that child went out one night, to help a friend study for a test, despite the fact that you told him/her NOT to go out. Would your punishment be more severe because s/he'd been so good?
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