Keepin' It Fresh!

When I first started dating my wife-to-be way back in high school, I quickly came to the knowledge that she included Jesus in just about everything she did.  Whether she was in church, at school, shopping for a new outfit and most likely about her decision to even date me, Jesus was part of the equation!  After we were married and began working with the youth at the Baptist Church, we naturally included this normal part of her relationship with Jesus as part of the message we taught.  What surprised me was some of the commotion that it caused among a few of the parents and some other adults in the church.

I am not sure how it got out, but it seemed that they were very adamant that since God gave us a brain that He intended for us to make those menial decisions on our own without His assistance.  I can actually remember us sitting down with some of these folks and discussing this deep theological dilemma!  Our line of thought made perfect sense to our young students, but for some reason was a stumbling block to a few adults.  As I have grown older through the years and matured in my faith, I find that I cannot go hardly a moment without wanting His presence and direction in my life!

I believe that Jesus had similar thoughts in mind as He taught the crowds that “If you abide (or ‘continue’ in the KJV) in my word, you are truly my disciples.”  (John 8:31 English Standard Version)  Then He clinched it by declaring “And you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free.” (John 8:32 English Majority Text Version)  It was the original intention of the word translated “abide” or “continue” that set it strait for me.  According to Thayer’s and Strong’s, it means “to stay, not to depart, to continue to be present, to remain as one with.”  My personal definition is to “keep it fresh in you!”

How much more fresh can it get than including the intimate knowledge of His will for us in everything we do? Hebrews 11:1 tells us that “Now faith is…” (KJV)  Faith is not in the future, nor is it in the past.  To be effective, our faith always has to be in the present, active tense!  It is an action word that is happening NOW!  If it is not fresh, now, or present, it is old news!  It quickly becomes stale and our expectation of God’s best can rapidly turn sour, old and moldy!

It was like a lot of the fruit and vegetables we purchased from the major grocery stores when we were living in Oklahoma.  Except for the summer peaches that came from a local ranch, they just didn’t taste fresh to us!  My family and I had gotten used to the fresh fruit and vegetables that we bought in California that came from local farms or the central valley of the state.  But then again, there is nothing like a fresh tomato, zucchini or other veggie or fruit that is picked and eaten right off the branch or vine!  Talk about sweet and fresh!

The same is true in our relationship with God.  If we keep Him active, fresh and present in everything we do, in every decision we make, then our unity with Him is also fresh, fun and active!  A friend told me not too long ago that Piper was still teaching and encouraging me even though she can’t always communicate her thoughts right now.  And you know… it is true.  There are many times when I will think, as I am in a position to make a decision, “What would Piper say or do?”  That phrase then always leads me right into the throne room and I find myself requesting the same information from God Himself!

So yeah… I still ask Him for His direction in everything I do.  I figure the fresher the relationship with Him the better!  I’ve even gotten pretty good at listening to His directions as I order clothes for my wife online!  I only got it wrong with the first 49er hoodie that I purchased for her a few years back.  But even that turned out okay as we were able to bless our youngest daughter with it as the sweater was a little too tight for Piper!  (JoAnna proudly wears the red and gold in Oklahoma on every game day!)

So… are we religious fanatics?  Have we gone overboard?  According to Jesus’ teaching, I would think that we are just normal folks!  How about you?  Are you abnormally normal in your daily relationship with Him?  It can be a fresh and fun place to be?! Have a great day.  Stay in tune to His Word, and keep asking yourself… “What or Whom am I expecting (to be an active part of my life) today?”