Thrilled With Life!

Do you know other Christians who are living an Old Testament faith in their daily lives?  Are they just a little too quick to look for faults in others?  Do they tend to fret and fear over the headlines and/or avoid situations that may not be easy to handle and others that are not what they might be accustomed to?  I know quite a few Christians like this… and recently, I discovered that there are areas in my own life that I tend to respond in like manner!

This came to light this morning as I read from 2 Corinthians 3:6 where it states:  “The written ordinance (the Old Testament Law) denounces a death-penalty; but the Spirit thrills with a new life.” (S. Way)  The King James simply puts it as “the letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life.”  In the language of the original writers the word “killeth” has many connotations including “to slay, to extinguish and bringing home the knowledge of guilt and punishment,” while “life” causes one to be “made alive, to arouse and invigorate and/or to give increase of (or to) life.” (Strong’s, Thayer’s and Vincent’s Word Studies)   

When I read that I immediately had flashbacks to some of the words and actions of the select few who quickly pointed out what seemed to be everything bad that they could think of concerning me, my ratings as a husband and father, and the current decisions I was making as I struggled to care for my wife’s increasing needs.  But it was interesting as my thoughts suddenly shifted away from them to me!  When I considered how they had instantly slid into a judgmental, fearful and discouraging mode, I realized that I have been going down a similar path with a recent decision we felt strongly led to make and are beginning to pursue.

With the recent passing of my Dad, along with my older son and his wife’s desire to make some changes, it dawned on me that there was not really a lot to keep us in our home town anymore.  I have also had an increasing awareness of the importance of our kids being more of a part of my wife’s and my life at this time.  Then at the beginning of the year I suddenly felt a release from our beloved northern California with a freedom to look toward a move across country to be with our older daughter and her husband in North Carolina!

This has been sort of an unusual prompting for us when you compare it to past directing’s of the Lord.  Most of the callings we have received tended to not make much initial sense when it came to fulfilling them.  In the past many people thought we were absolutely crazy to attempt what we did.  This time has been different in that it makes good economic, personal and family sense to make the move.  We’ll be closer to our kids in Oklahoma as well, there are six churches affiliated with my Bible School in the Research Triangle area of Raleigh, Durham and Cary, the weather is fairly mild with a terrain that is similar to our home area and we can most likely purchase a home and retire with a lot more financial security than if we were to stay in California. (Wow… “retire”… that sounds strange!  The ministry still burns brightly inside of me, I don’t think that I’ll ever really retire!)

What I realized this morning though, was that there were still things on our “move to do list” that I was approaching with apprehension instead of with confidence in the favor we have with man and God (See: Psalms 5:12 and Proverbs 3:4 for starters!)  Even though this move makes good sense in both the spiritual and physical realms, there are still many things that I can’t yet see how they will come to pass.  I experienced a rude awakening when I understood that I was not allowing these activities to arouse and invigorate my life through my trust in Him.  After all, that’s what this whole move is supposed to be about right… to make things better not worse.  So why not enjoy each step of the way?

Do you have any activities and/or areas of your life that you are not allowing to arouse or invigorate your life through (or because of) your trust in Him?  Understand that I am talking about both the good and the rough things here.  Dealing with my wife’s health situation has by far been the most difficult thing I have ever faced in my life, but it has driven me to seek the Lord and draw closer to Him than ever before.  I can honestly say that it has aroused and invigorated our lives and our faith as we live in an ever increasing confidence of the truth of His Word working for us!  Our expectancy grows daily!  Is that how you face every area of your life?  Is your existence thrilled with new life?  Think about it… then make whatever changes you might need in order to gain His expectancy in your lives.  Have a great week.  Stay in tune to His Word, and keep asking yourself… What am I expecting today?”