However, as my writing rarely ever achieves such high and lofty aims, you'll get a hodge podge of thoughts from my last week.
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Y'know that thing where you give advice to someone, with the best intentions, and scriptual back up, and with their complete undivided attention? And then you go and completely ignore your own advice, to the detriment of relationships, your sanity and faith?
Well, imagine, just imagine, that the exact same thing had happened to me, except the advice I gave, completely hypothetically, was in a sermon to 45 people.
And when you think back over the past week since you (allegedly) preached that sermon, you realise that you have contravened what you said, not once, not twice, but numerous times.
Sucks to be me.
I preached on Naaman on Sunday (2 Kings 5:1-17). I didn't have long, and I wasn't really sure what to bring out of the text. But one thing that really struck me when I was reading it was that Naaman went a very convoluted route to experience God. We don't have to do that. We have direct access to God through Christ. And so, I encouraged everyone to first turn to God, before we pick up the 'phone to talk to friends, or we go to the doctor, or we spew at the nearest person.
Good advice, no? I thought so. I then lay in bed last night and counted the number of people I had shared a problem with, even before I told God what was going on. Now, don't get me wrong, I shared it with some very wise and godly people who I have no doubt God works in and through. But they are not God, nor are they a good substitute for Him.
Please pray that I pray more.
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I just got home from the Electric Ballroom in Camden - one of the coldest gig venues I have ever have the privilege of being at - and just experienced what I shall simply describe as one of the best gigs I have ever been to. Thrice are a band that seem to transcend genre, and just do what comes naturally. If you have a moment, and fancy being inspired, go check them out. They also get plus points for referencing G.K. Chesterton to a room full of crazed teenagers and twenty-somethings.
2 comments:
Maybe it takes giving advice to someone else before you realize what you should be doing. You should disparage yourself for not following it before, at least now you can think of this when the next opportunity arises. Problems are some of life's greatest teachers. Without them we wouldn't have as many opportunities to practice what we know is right and learn new things.
Aye, wise words. Thanks. And thank you for stopping by, too!
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