I am where I am

I remember my youth very well. I have done some things that are not at all good. I was once told by a preacher that retelling stories of old helps you hold on to things you should be letting go of. I agree with that. But sometimes, when I meet someone who thinks they are so wrong that they are unforgivable, I have to pull out a story or two. No, I am not the worse person on earth, as far as earthly measurements go. But I think there is a characteristic to God that we all seem to forget. A sin is a sin is a sin. No one sin outranks another.

Romans 3- 9 What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; 10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. 12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. 13 Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: 14 Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: 15 Their feet are swift to shed blood: 16 Destruction and misery are in their ways: 17 And the way of peace have they not known: 18 There is no fear of God before their eyes.

We all grieve the spirit. Those of us who speak evil in the name of giving the rest of us a piece of their mind, bring about as much destruction on their soul as those who murder, rape, and grieve the Holy Spirit himself. To God it is all a disobedient work against His will.

There are those who believe that Jesus made it easier by being the walking example of love. I would say that Jesus raised the stakes a bit. He told us that hating is just as dammed as murder, and to even think about another in a lustful way is to fornicate. The message that we should take from Jesus is that the mind is our heart and it must be sober. That is written often. Most of us think that all we have to do to be obedient to this is not drink. But again, Jesus increased our obedience level, he did not minimize it.

Romans 12- ³ For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

The word soberly here is Sophroneo, and it means to have a sound mind. It is possible to be sober and not have a sound mind. I know many who do not drink but are corrupted with other sin that blocks the brain from sound judgement. Addicts, gamblers, perverts, brawlers, sluggards, and many other sinful natures stop us from having a sober mind. Again, mainly because we fail to realize that the idea of having a sound mind is dependent on God and not man. If God is not the head of your life, and is not the root of your thinking, you cannot possibly have a sober mind.

John Gill comments- There is none righteous as Adam was, in a state of innocence; for all have sinned, and are filled with unrighteousness, and are enemies to righteousness; none are righteous by their obedience to the law of works; nor are there any righteous in the sight of God, upon the foot of their own righteousness, however they may appear in their own eyes, and in the sight of others; nor are any inherently righteous, for there is none without sin, sanctification is imperfect; nor is it, either in whole or in part, a saint’s justifying righteousness; indeed there is none righteous, no, not one, but those who are justified by the righteousness of Christ

When I was left to my own leadership, I was truly lost. I made very costly mistakes. And the wonderful thing about that is even though I know God has forgiven me, I am still paying the consequences for some of those mistakes. I believe many think that if God forgives that means there are no consequences. They then translate that to if God forgives then Christians should forgive. This is all true. The problem is that no matter what, consequences abound. Forgiveness does not erase consequences in all cases. It surely can, but most of the time, not so much.

In my youth I also had many friends. They are a great bunch of guys. I don’t see hardly any of them anymore, but, for most, we quietly stay in touch with each other by way of social media. Many of us are scattered, so that is the best I can do. But I have thought on many occasions that the journey God put me on led me to where I am so that, as He worked in the lives of others regarding all the things they need, I would get the things I need. God is an awesome orchestrator like that. I can say that I have a much smaller group of friends than I did while in my youth, but the Holy Ghost Power in each of them makes my present day family much stronger than it ever was. I feel fuller today than I ever have.

When I look back now, and how I got to several key points in my life, I think that God intervened in the decision because I just don’t know why I did some of the things I did. I got some awesome blessings along the way, and endured some major set-backs. I made some bad choices, and sometimes failed to act on, what I believe now, would have been better choices. But I am where I am. Is that for me, or am I here for someone else? Am I here for the now, or am I, again, being groomed for something that is yet to come? I think most of us who believe have these questions. But God’s grace fills voids in our soul better than anything else man can find on his own. We feel alone because we fail to connect, not because God left us. In fact, God has advised us how to connect.

Hebrews 13- ¹ Let brotherly love continue. ² Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. ³ Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body. ⁴ Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. ⁵ Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. ⁶ So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me. ⁷ Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation. ⁸ Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.

God tells us how to connect with others, how to fill the void, and the pitfalls to be aware of. Take notice and be active, and joy will fill that void, happiness will replace that sadness, accomplishment will erase failure, and the peace of contentment will overcome the anxiety of displeasure.

If you stand in the mirror, what will the reflection tell you about your relationship with God, and what are you going to do about it? May the peace of God be abundantly heaped upon you and your home, straight from the cross to the Christian!