March 19, 2012

  • Commandments, Laws, Statutes and the Subject of Meditation

    Last night I blogged on another site on the subject of character of the heart. I expressed several ideas as to how the Ten Commandments were a reflection of God's character. You can read it here.

    I have been trying to focus more on my relationship with God, and sometimes I know I am not doing all I can to maintain that focus. I know what God wants me to do regarding diet, health, and other changes I need to be making in my life. With this in mind, I understand the weakness of mind that Jesse Ventura spoke of when he criticized Christians. Yes, I am a weak-minded Christian. The difference I see in myself is that I want to have the mind of Christ, and to have His character embedded in my heart. I know my point of view. There are times when I do not agree with God. There are times when I get angry at Him. There are times when I don't want to talk to Him. Such is the level of my selfishness. I need to have the mind of Christ so I can understand just what it is I am up against. I am up against me, and that battle between being selfish and being selfless is insane. No one can hurt me the way I hurt myself. So I need God's character in my heart and mind. 

    The Psalmist wrote of his meditations being focused on God's commandments, laws, statutes, and desired greatly to have them written upon his heart. When David was weak, he fell into bed with a married woman. After he got her pregnant, he did all that he could to cover up his sin, going so far as to have her husband abandoned in battle to be killed. It was a decision that would destroy the lives of many of his sons, including Absalom. David may have been king of Israel and a man after God's own heart, but when he lost his focus, he made critical errors in judgment. I do not want this in my life, and yet, there are things in my head that make me wonder if I am doing what is right.

    I focus on Jesus' prayer life and see my own shortcomings. I do not pray enough. I do not focus enough on God's will for my life, let alone the needs of family and friends and coworkers and church family. Often I see my prayers being too much about me me me. I need to change this. Let God's will be done regarding me me me. I can live with His decisions. I just want to be as patient with Him as He has been with me.

    Have you ever considered Jesus' words to Peter concerning the things that are loosened on earth will be the things that will be loosened in heaven? It's about character development in this world, becoming what you are to become in this world, which is what you will be for eternity. I look at my behavior. Is any of it any good? Let's put this in light of judgment. A day is coming soon when a voice will declare the following: "Let the one who does wrong continue to do wrong; let the vile person continue to be vile; let the one who does right continue to do right; and let the holy person continue to be holy.” (Revelation 22:11 NIV) On that day God will end His striving with the human race. Sin will have run its course to its fullness, and every human being will have made a final judgment concerning God. One will say that God is worthy of worship, to be honored as Father, and to be loved for all that He has done. Another will say that God is not worthy of worship or honor or love. When Jesus returns, He brings His reward to give to every person according to his or her works. (Revelation 22:12) One is taken to meet the Father, and the other is left behind. 

    Every day for me is a day of judgment. God shows me where I got it right (only because I let the Holy Spirit lead me), where I get it wrong (because I prevented the Holy Spirit to lead me), and all I can do is confess my sins and together we both work on repentance. In the first commandment shows us a God who delivers His people from bondage, from slavery. I do not have to be a sinner. I can live a sin-free life IF I let God work in me those things that He desires to bring forth. Right now I see myself as a sinner saved by grace. The day I long for is when I am no longer a sinner, but I am simply saved by grace. I hate my sin, I hate my weakness, and I long for the day after the lake of fire burns itself out completely so that this world can again be perfect. My only ambition as a Christian should be simple: "Be perfect, as your Father in heaven is perfect." - Jesus Christ - (Matthew 5:48) 

    Can you understand why David meditated on God's commandments, laws and statutes? This should be what every Christian should be doing now. 

    We are not saved by the keeping of the law. The law shows that we are sinners to be condemned. If we are in Christ, the law has no judgment against us. The judgment is in our favor. Works do not save us, but by our works God judges us fit for eternity with Him. I know myself, but not as well as God does. He sees what I can become if I let Him work through me. That is the person He wants to see in heaven, but first He wants to see him on earth. There is so much to learn, and much to fix in my character.

    I am not yet a fan of meditation. I don't completely understand the practice, particularly when it comes from T'ai Chi. I don't agree with the definitions of energy or the source for that energy as defined by Eastern philosophy, so that puts a barrier up right away. The only connection I need is with Jesus Christ and that comes through the Holy Spirit. I can stand in one place and focus my attention on religious themes, carefully breathing in and releasing the breath, and in my mind pray about the things that concern me. Perhaps ten minutes later, I am ready to move along. I don't feel any energy come out of the ground and into my feet and up my legs to the rest of the body or into my head. If anything, it is only an exercise in the concept of "peace, be still." I know He is God. But my calm is so easily damaged sometimes. My prayer life needs to be more active. 

    I know what I am looking for. It will take time to find it. I need to be as patient with God as He has been with me. I know I am on the right track in my life. It is now just a matter of finding the joy in the journey, but knowing how to find a true rest along the way.