It’s not rocket science.

We were CREATED of, by and for Him.  Our Heavenly Father created us to reflect His glory.

Plain and simple.

Just leave it to us imperfect and self-absorbed, narcissistic and egotistical, judgmental and defective individuals to really botch that up!  Right?

It’s humbling to recognize that when we strive for more than that (more than reflecting His glory) we have somehow perverted our purpose and we’ve walked away from what we’ve been called to do.  And yet, as imperfect individuals, we fall prey to that nearly daily… sometimes hourly.  I’m the first one to admit that…

Let me provide some encouragement by sharing with you what Paul the Apostle shares on this topic.  He’s talking to the people of Ephesus here…

“It wasn’t so long ago that you were mired in that old stagnant life of sin. You let the world, which doesn’t know the first thing about living, tell you how to live. You filled your lungs with polluted unbelief, and then exhaled disobedience. We all did it, all of us doing what we felt like doing, when we felt like doing it, all of us in the same boat. It’s a wonder God didn’t lose his temper and do away with the whole lot of us. Instead, immense in mercy and with an incredible love, he embraced us. He took our sin-dead lives and made us alive in Christ. He did all this on his own, with no help from us! Then he picked us up and set us down in highest heaven in company with Jesus, our Messiah.

“Now God has us where he wants us, with all the time in this world and the next to shower grace and kindness upon us in Christ Jesus. Saving is all his idea, and all his work. All we do is trust him enough to let him do it. It’s God’s gift from start to finish! We don’t play the major role. If we did, we’d probably go around bragging that we’d done the whole thing! No, we neither make nor save ourselves. God does both the making and saving. He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join him in the work he does, the good work he has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing.”

Ephesians 2:1-10  (The Message)

 

Isn’t that a reassurance?  We botch it up daily, and he forgives us.  He saves us from our own demise.  He picks us up out of the pit we’ve dug for ourselves… and sets us down in a better place!!!

 

Which brings me to a very simple explanation of what our Lord requires of us…

 

But he’s already made it plain how to live, what to do, what God is looking for in men and women.  It’s quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor, be compassionate and loyal in your love, and don’t take yourself too seriously— take God seriously.

Micah 6:8 (The Message)

 

Many of you know that my blog posts take a while to brew.  This one has been brewing for just about a month now.  And when I heard this song on the radio this morning the rest of the jumbled thoughts came together during those 4 minutes.

So I leave us with this song, which has been on repeat all morning… Let Them See You, by JJ Weeks Band

And my prayer for all of us is that our lives may be a more perfect reflection of his love and glory every hour of every day for the rest of the days of our lives.  Let us be watchful of our thoughts, that they focus on what is true and right and just.  Let us be watchful of our hearts’ desires, that they honor him.  Let us be watchful of our words, that they be loving and encouraging rather than judgmental or diminishing towards others.  Let us be watchful of our motives, that they be more aligned with his purpose for our lives every day.  Lastly, let us act justly and love mercy and walk humbly with our God.