BMWs & such

It occurred to me today that disobedience allows the enemy to sift us (Luke 22:31).  Living in disobedience is like standing on shifting sand on the edge of the ocean.  The waves pour in and the sand under foot shifts & when the waves recede we think we're still standing on solid ground but unless you reposition your stance that next wave will pull the sand from beneath your feet and knock you to the ground.  Disobedience will also shake our foundation knocking us from our relationship with the Lord.  He wants us on spiritual solid ground and away from the waves of disobedience.

"But as Paul said, 'the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life' (2 Cor. 3:6).  If the Holy Spirit is not given an opening among us, if his work is not welcomed, if we are afraid of what he might do, we leave ourselves with nothing but death" (Jim Cymbala).  The Spirit gives life.  The Bible points us in the right direction but the Spirit of God is who does the work in us to change us, to pull us out of spiritual bondage. The Spirit breathes life into our lives in such a powerful way that it is unmatched by anything else in this life. The thing is that we must ask Him to come in to live and to make us who He created us to be.

I just got this picture in my mind of cars. Living a life without God is like a beautiful BMW disguised as some junker car.  It doesn't work out.  The manufacturer did not build that BMW to be a junker he built it to be a high performing, luxery BMW.  We are worth everything to God and He created us with something specific in mind.  "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future" (Jeremiah 29:11, NIV). God never created junk and He came to earth that we could stop living in the junk yard, so He could help scrape the rust off of our lives, so He could help us be exactly who He created us to be.  Living Loved by Him and daily falling more and more in Love with Him.

Lets stay alert because the enemy wants us to choose the junk yard, when God wants us on the open road 'livin' the life'.