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Sunday, May 20, 2007

Romans 1

Let's face it, some days I may not have as much to write about as other days. When that happens I am going to go back to the good ol' Way Journal. Read a chapter of the Bible, find one verse that stands out and write about it. Sometime I will also add in my contemplation on how the Chapter made me feel as a whole. Today's Chapter is Romans 1.

Scripture:
They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator--who is forever praised. Amen. Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Romans 1:25-26

Observation:
Sometimes even us Christians read this verse and only see the worshiped and miss the served, it is important that we realize that we only serve God. Ever since I have been a Christian I have been careful to try not to worship created things. Worship being to have "
extravagant respect or admiration for or devotion to an object of esteem" (Websters online) It's one thing to worship something such as money by thinking it is more important than it really is. Once we let go of that materialistic attitude not worshiping created things is so much easier. But service is something else. (side note: this is in relation to the modern definition of the words; Paul may have had other intent when he wrote this, but God created verses like this to be just as true today as they were then.) The problem with service is that we (I) often cut out worship to created things, I am still their servant in many ways. Take this whole house searching experience for example; I want to buy a house. But to afford a house I will have to get more money. To get more money I will have to stay at my current job. I am so hesitant to look for a job at a church because I know that I won't make much money. Not that I make a lot of money now, but I am afraid of making less because if I buy a house now I can't leave my job until I can find a job that pays me enough to afford the mortgage. Doesn't that make me a slave to the house? I need to be released of that and trust that God is going to lead me to the right place. This desire to get a house, it is so tough to discern if it is my will of God's. I want to see the signs that God wants Alise and I to buy, but I really don;t think that they are there. Just opportunities.

Application: stop letting created things affect the decisions I make. The key to being a servant is letting the master direct your decision making. Ideally, the servant will not do anything that is not a part of the master's will. If I let something else affect my decision making I am not serving the Master, I am serving another.

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