Be Teachable

Today I was driving home from the store and stopped at a four way stop. We all know the rules...the person there first gets to go first. In the event of a tie...the person on the right gets to be on their way before we do. Well you know, just like the rest of life...sometimes we don't play by the rules. That was me today! I was cold, wanted to get home...saw my chance and took it! The car that was supposed to go ahead of me wasn't as quick on the gas pedal as I was, so...I left first! It was no big thing...at least for the moment...

Have you ever heard the word Christianese? If you haven't, all it means is this. Christians have their own language when talking about anything to do with God. Now if you are not a Christian...or you have not been around Christian people much...you may not know what some one means when they say something like..."I felt a check in my spirit." Let me be clear, I am not trying to be disrespectful at all. Christians don't even think about how some of the words or phrases may sound to non Christians. It's really...just how they talk! I said all of that to say this...

When I left the stop sign out of turn today I immediately knew that I had done something I shouldn't have. It was kind of like when you repeat maybe a little tid bit of gossip to someone. You know it wasn't the Christian thing to do but it was already done. You get that little "check in your spirit." For me however it was different. I'm pretty sure that God is trying to get me up to speed on a few things because...it's more than "a check". It is actually more like a loud voice goes off in my head! Something like..."Why did you do that? That was not Christian like at all. You need to be an example in all things you do." What is your first thought when God reminds you of how you should have acted or what you should have done? It should be to immediately ask for forgiveness. And, so I did, but...

Have you ever found that sometimes you do things because you know you should and not necessarily because you really are sincere. Well, Hello...that was me messing up again! As soon as I said..."I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that"...I knew I didn't mean it and so did the Lord! The loud voice went off again. Kind of like..."If you don't mean it, don't say it." I thought about it and had to admit that I hadn't been sincere. However, the second time I was. Why am I telling you this? Not because I want you to know all my faults. I don't. It's because, even when there is no one else with us...no one else around that knows us...God is here. As I said in my last post...

We need to be conscience of the fact that we are always in Gods presence. He is always with us...seeing...listening...and feeling everything we do. I know that He is trying to get me to realize this. It's a great thing to know that God is always with us. At the same time we have a responsibility to live our lives in a manner that glorifies Him. So...it was a big deal when I went out of turn at the stop sign. I did it deliberately and that makes it a sin. Lately I have been talking to the Lord and asking Him to make me aware of things in my life that aren't right. Help me to be closer to Him. Teach me to live in the way I should and too get rid of all my old ways. You know, He will be more than happy to help you with all of that so you can grow in Him. So...if you don't mean it...don't ask Him!

Ps 119:17-18 New King James

Deal bountifully with Your servant,
         That I may live and keep Your word. Open my eyes, that I may see
         Wondrous things from Your law.

Ps 25:8-9 NLT
The Lord is good and does what is right;
      he shows the proper path to those who go astray. He leads the humble in doing right,
      teaching them his way.

Draw near to the Lord today and ask Him to give you a teachable heart so that you might grow and learn all He has to teach you.
Excerpt from...Passionate Prayer by Catherine Martin