You are what you do.

If I were to ask you, what do you believe?  How would you answer?  Would you give me a list of facts?  Would you give me a list of theological statements?  Or would there even be a list at all?

As I look at myself, I find that I use to equate belief with knowledge.  You ask me what I believe and I would say, "I believe in God the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth.  And in Jesus Christ, his only son, our Lord..."  By the way I still do believe that.  And I do believe that being able to articulate one's faith is very important.  We need to know what we believe and why we believe.  It is important to be in God's word, and to understand how it all works together, and the teachings of the church and all that good stuff.  I don't want to take away from that at all.  However, I would like to suggest that perhaps we look at it from a different angle.  How does what I believe show in the way that I live my life?  

If I tell my wife that I love her (and I do) but my actions are not actions of love, how much value do my words have?  Not much.  If I believe that God hears and answers all my prayers (and I do) why is it hard to pray?  If I believe that God speaks to us through his word (and I do) why is it hard to find time to be in that word?  If I believe that God gives me all that I need to support my body and life (and I do) why does worry come so easily?  

I think you get the idea.  This is something that I find to be very interesting as I look at my own life and consider the way I approach these things in my own life.  What do you believe?  What is important in your life?  What is it that matters more than anything else, that matters the most?  And does your life show that?

When our lives don't match the things we value, there is God's grace that is full and fulfilling, that restores and stands up on our feet.  We are able to daily drown our own sinful selves, so that every day a new person would rise up to serve God in everlasting righteousness, innocence and blessedness.

I find in this great comfort and joy.  It means that I can do the things like prayer, scripture reading, loving my wife, etc, I can do those things that I know I am supposed to do.  And I can do them not out of guilt.  "Oh I should do this, or I should do that."  But I can do them as a response to the awesome grace that God in Jesus has shown to me.  And I can do them, because I believe that they are important.  

God bless you this week and always.

Pastor CJ