I had the privilege of talking to a friend who believes in God and has started to attend church regularly. The holy spirit is definitely working in her heart as she is attending currently, seeking more personal connection in small groups and as I walked into her room, Christian music was playing. Depending who you are and which side of the fence you are on, you either find that normal or weird. During our conversation she began asking questions and that is how I know the spirit is moving in her. This is not someone who grew up walking in the life of God, this is someone who had dealt with life as she knew how and now seeking something more. She made the comment that she was not going to be a "bible thumper" but was making some changes in her life. I have heard the term "bible thumper" my entire life and just associated it with "churchy" people who live, eat, sleep, breathe bible which I didn't get the gift or talent for. I must have been absent the day God gave the talent and gifts out for bible memory because I am more than awful at it even though I am familiar with it...I still cant probably recite more than 10 scripture versus and that is majorly stretching it, like I would need time to really think and over half of them I couldn't tell you where they are found in the bible, in fact....my kids can recite 100 times more scripture than I can. So in my terms I'm not a "bible thumper", and I don't feel that I aggressively impose Christian beliefs on other people. I do post and say things I have learned or agree with and I do live my life differently, but I don't think I push my religion on other people, they have a choice to be around me and to read my blogs or be my friends on facebook...etc. I am just me and either you want to have a relationship with me or you don't, either you want to have a relationship with God or you don't...I don't judge, but I am here for the people who have questions and whose spirit is moving. I will gladly share my experiences with anyone that I come in contact with and I will continue to help people in any way that I can, that does not make me pushing my religion on people, it makes me a Christian doing Gods work as a servant.
I have not read my bible in over a year, the actual act of just opening my bible and reading. I have read countless Christian books, attended multiple services, watched many podcasts and attended many bible studies, so in my thoughts, I was getting the word. The spirit has laid in my heart to reopen the bible and began to seek more the last couple weeks. The hard part about the bible for me is its like reading stories, but honestly, other than a couple versus that I can say "amen" to....I don't understand it. I enjoy the stories and LOVE the miracles, but the fundamentals I think I'm supposed to know are just not there for me. I feel insecure when I'm at church and they start giving history and setting the stage for whats actually going on and when the parts of the bible are relayed into a message, don't get me wrong, I enjoy it but that's how I have been learning... I just don't understand why I don't know even the basics. Ive grown up in and out of church, shouldn't I know more? I actually hear it and then it goes out when I'm eating lunch on Sunday afternoon...well, it did in my previous 30 years. The difference in the last two years is that I hear it, learn from it and apply it. When you apply the sermons, the whole world opens up into something more meaningful. I must have attended the wrong churches or just closed down my heart and desire all together, because I spent most of my life either falling asleep in church or dreading all the "jarble" that I had to listen to just to get to go eat with my friends. The only "thank the lord or amen" was when it was over. For the last two years, I'm wondering why its over "that's all" why cant we keep going or leaving thinking "that was awesome...WOW". I have been told recently that I am different than I was a year ago and in this case they were talking about a completely different subject than God, but I began to evaluate why I'm not the same. It wasn't "oh, you come so far...Ive seen a change in you this year"....it was "a year ago you did this and you don't anymore". So I began to think what I did differently than I did a year ago and reading my actual bible was one of them. Even when I read my bible and read the stories....it was amazing to see what the sermon was going to be at church and it was even more amazing when the message included what I had already read. The bible says "all things work together for the good" and here I found myself reciting to myself the versus' that the pastor was preaching in his message and when I am in that place then the other "issue" that I was called out on changes as well because it has different meaning when I am in the word following Gods plan for me. When those "issues" are not "issues" than I also have peace and joy within me, so its all linked together and a cycle that has to start somewhere and be fixed when it is broken or it doesn't all work together. So was it just a good book to read or a way to check off my spiritual time card...check off bible reading for the day...NO. I was learning and internalizing more than I realized. I have never completed the bible cover to cover, in fact I have a one year bible that I'm still reading 7 years later. I am now on the appropriate day and if I stay on this track then I will finish this December 31. It was also interesting to see that the day I left off a year ago is the day I picked it up again. I opened up to my bookmark and it was the same day I left off....if that doesn't give you the chilly willys then I don't know what will. It was a reminder that God has a plan and a purpose. I cant tell you what the middle of the bible said, but I will tell you I will keep reading it over and over and over and keep seeking his word. Who knows...I might become a "bible thumper" after all...would that really be so bad? I mean we push our business' on people, our entertainment selections and sports. We "represent" all these worldly things, would it be so bad to stand your ground and "represent" our maker? I might actually make it a goal to become a "bible thumper" so that everyone around me knows who I "represent" and what I stand for...at least Ill have the word and knowledge (armor) to prepare me for the battle of life. What will you have to show for what you "represent" when its all said and done (life)?
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