Co-Dependent part 2
I don't know why, but I can vividly remember a scene from one of my previous jobs. At the time I worked for a car dealership. Washing cars. There were about half a dozen of us, and... let's just say we had to think creatively to make the job fun. To make the days go by. So one day, one of the other porters--the boss's son, in fact, which kind of explains a lot--decided it was a good day to sing. This was actually one of my first days on the job. I didn't really know what I was getting myself into. And then, all of a sudden, we were in a circle with our arms around each others shoulders as he lead us in the chorus of "Lean on Me." If that's what the song is even called. You know it. "Lean on me... when you're not strong... I'll be your strength... I'll help you carry onnnnnn!" Well, guys, that's Jesus. Look at Jude 1:24 (which is one my favorite verses, but one I never hear preached), "Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy." It seems like the religion we've built says, "You're a dirty sinner. You're flat on your back. But if you do this, this, and this... maybe, just maybe, the Lord will pick you up and save you." But what the Scripture says is... you're faultless. You're beautiful. You're fearfully and wonderfully made. You are exactly who God wanted you to be. And you don't have to keep falling. He can--and will, because He wants to--keep you from falling. You don't have to fall. You don't have to ride the rollercoaster of highs and lows. You can stay on the straight and narrow path that leads to life. Because you can lean on Him. I really don't like this idea of "following in Jesus' foot steps." Because nobody can live Jesus' life except Jesus. The harder you try to be someone you're not... even with the best of intentions to be "like" Jesus... the more you fail to be who YOU are. That's all you are ever supposed to be. Just be cool. Just be you. Let Jesus be Jesus IN you... and now we're cooking with peanut oil. Co-laborers with Christ means doing what we do in love. With love. Because of love. Doing what we do because it's in our heart to do it. Because GOD (love) put it in our heart to do it. The power of God working in us is where both the will and the power to do HIS will comes from. Every good gift comes down from the Father of lights. And, look, if He is the Father of lights, and He is OUR Father... logically, that means we are the light. Which is what Jesus said. He identified Himself as the light of the world and He identified US as the light of the world. Same light. Same Son. So my point for today is, you don't have to keep falling and trying to pick yourself up. Daddy's got your back. He can hold you up. LOVE can hold you up. Love doesn't waver. Love never fails. If you're standing in, and on, love... you don't have to fall. You can give Him glory and praise because He has kept you from falling. Kept you safe. Kept you clean. Presented you (to Himself) faultless. God always wants what best for you, and that's why He gave the best to you. He gave you His Spirit. His Son. Himself. Love. And love can hold us up. Love is the only thing that can, and the only thing that will!