Live like we are dying

Sometimes we spend so much time trying to get back to where we were that we don't see what is going on right in front of us. 

I was so impressed with the movie The Great Gatsby that just came out and I thought it was very well done. But, what struck me most, was the blind and false hope of Gatsby that was so pitiful and pitiable and yet so relatable. 

"You're wrong old sport. You're wrong about the past." Gatsby said this to Nick who told him that he couldn't relive his past with Daisy. 

Gatsby was so desperately clinging to a hope: that if he could relive the past, it would undo any heartache and pain he or Daisy or anyone else went through. But, he couldn't and neither could Daisy. And, I was so struck by the lifestyle of Gatsby in all its splendor and deliciously disgusting excessiveness... And all its emptiness and brokenness and its hazy, wild obscurity. 

And I realized that we are like Gatsby. We try to fill our lives with interesting things and interesting people, grasping onto anything we can that we want and that we think will make us feel better even if it kills them and us. We try to distract ourselves from the problem and we try to hold onto the past and relive it- to make it better. We think the grass was greener there. But, we are left with a hangover of obscurity and confusion and unstable emotions of frustration, anger, and emptiness along with whatever else may lurk in our hearts that we tried to bury and fill and escape. No, recreating the past is not the answer and is far from possible. 

But, sometimes we can be so wrapped up in the moment that we fail to realize the consequences of our actions or to learn from previous actions' consequences. We do it now because it is accessible and it is easy and it is fun. We do it now because we do not want to think about yesterday and we do not want to think of tomorrow- we think about the moment. We love the thrill and the adventure and the adrenaline rush. But, tomorrow comes and we realize we did not plan for the future and now it is here and it is changed forever. 

But, still, on the other end of the spectrum, we can worry away our future and plan away our lives so that all we think about is tomorrow. We can plan so much for tomorrow that we do not live today and we miss out on the people, the plans, the lessons of life around us. 

I think the problem is that we can over-analyze, over-do, and worry away anything and everything in our lives. And we can run away from work and laying down our pride and our insecurities. We fight it. Hard. 

So how should we live then? How do we stop the vicious cycle? 

I think the key is understanding and rejoicing in the gospel and the character of God, and contentment, and thankfulness. 

About the past, well, sometimes we just won't understand. But, we do know the gospel and the character of God because of His word and His Holy Spirit and the example we see in our brothers and sisters of Christ who faithfully live it out because of Christ!!! 

I can't say it better than the song Farther Along, lyrics by W.A. Fletcher in 1911. (link to song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IctD9l4F-ag )

Farther along we’ll know all about it 

Farther along we’ll understand why 

Cheer up my brothers, live in the sunshine 

We’ll understand this, all by and by 

Tempted and tried, I wondered why 

The good man died, the bad man thrives

And Jesus cries because he loves em’ both 

We’re all cast-aways in need of ropes 

Hangin’ on by the last threads of our hope 

In a house of mirrors full of smoke 

Confusing illusions I’ve seen 

Where did I go wrong, I sang along 

To every chorus of the song 

That the devil wrote like a piper at the gates 

Leading mice and men down to their fates 

But some will courageously escape 

The seductive voice with a heart of faith 

While walkin’ that line back home 

So much more to life than we’ve been told 

It’s full of beauty that will unfold 

And shine like you struck gold my wayward son 

That deadweight burden weighs a ton 

Go down into the river and let it run 

And wash away all the things you’ve done 

Forgiveness alright 

Chorus 

Still I get hard pressed on every side 

Between the rock and a compromise 

Like the truth and pack of lies fightin’ for my soul 

And I’ve got no place left go 

Cause I got changed by what I’ve been shown 

More glory than the world has known 

Keeps me ramblin’ on 

Skipping like a calf loosed from its stall 

I’m free to love once and for all 

And even when I fall I’ll get back up 

For the joy that overflows my cup 

Heaven filled me with more than enough 

Broke down my levee and my bluff 

Let the flood wash me 

And one day when the sky rolls back on us 

Some rejoice and the others fuss 

Cause every knee must bow and tongue confess 

That the son of god is forever blessed 

His is the kingdom, we’re the guests 

So put your voice up to the test 

Sing Lord, come soon 

We have so much to be thankful for- let us rejoice and be glad because of the gospel and move forward proclaiming it, my friends! 

Let us live today, looking back on the grace of God seen in the traces of our past, living in His grace tomorrow, preparing for and longing for Christ to return!!! This is our purpose: to work hard and long for Christ to come back so that we do not waste today, but live today, thankful for HE who is not held or overcome by time or death. He is the Creator of time and the Conqueror of death and let us rejoice in it! 

May we not run from the life God has for us, longing for old times, searching for new times, and hoping for something better- hope and faith and love were there and are here and will be there! Let us cling to it! It is Christ!!! 

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the founder and perfector of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God." -Hebrews 12:1-2 (but read the rest of the chapter- soooo good!) 

Let us realize that God is sovereign. Let us realize that He is good. 

"I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the LORD." - Jeremiah 29:10b-14a

Let us realize His word and His promises are good and trustworthy because He fulfills them and they are true.  

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes, fear the LORD, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones." -Proverbs 3:5-8

We often forget the wretched state of hearts before God unveiled our eyes to the light of the gospel as scripture talks about in 2 Corinthians 4. May we remember our state and Christ's state- not being insecure in our inability to be good enough which is false humility and not being secured in false hope that we are good enough to deserve it which is pride. 

I love the word of Shane and Shane's song Embracing Accusation: (link here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6o5bmfZmbg )

The father of lies 
Coming to steal 
Kill and destroy 
All my hopes of being good enough 
I hear him saying cursed are the ones 
Who can't abide 
He's right 
Alleluia he's right! 

The devil is preaching 
The song of the redeemed 
That I am cursed and gone astray 
I cannot gain salvation 
Embracing accusation 

Could the father of lies 
Be telling the truth 
Of God to me tonight? 
If the penalty of sin is death 
Then death is mine 
I hear him saying cursed are the ones 
Who can't abide 
He's right 
Alleluia he's right! 

Oh the devil's singing over me 
An age old song 
That I am cursed and gone astray 
Singing the first verse so conveniently 
He's forgotten the refrain 
Jesus saves!

My favorite part is the build to the simple words: Jesus saves!!! So beautiful and so powerful. So much joy to be had, dear friends. May we be imitators of Christ in the joy of the grace of Christ!! 

"So, if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility, count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore, God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, on heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." -Philippians 2:1-11 

I will leave you all with a psalm for giving thanks: Psalm 100

"Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth! 

Serve the LORD with gladness! 

Come into His presence with singing! 

Know that the LORD, He is God! 

It is He who made us, and we are His, 

we are His people, the sheep of His pasture. 

Enter His gates with thanksgiving, 

and His courts with praise! 

Give thanks to Him; bless His name! 

For the LORD is good; 

His steadfast love endures forever, 

and His faithfulness to all generations."