I earned it!! ....didn't I?
I don't really have much to write about....
-I'm incredibly bored at work, I haven't had anything to do for several hours now.
-I'm still reading through the Transforming Grace book....its a bit long and repeats itself. There's a ton of good stuff, but goodness!! Plus since its not really a story or anything, I can only read bits at a time or else I start nodding off.
There is one thing I had been thinking about, which finally the book has move onto:
Since we are saved by grace, God gives us grace throughout our lives. No matter what we do, whether we excel in having consistent quiet times, memorize tons of scripture, teach others, or simply live life and remain horribly inconsistent in all spiritual disciplines....our reward is the same. We will be equally saved.
Then why practice spiritual disciplines? What's our motivation, if its not working towards some great reward? Why not go on sinning so grace abounds more and more?
We practice spiritual disciplines out of gratitude for what God has already done. In the kingdom, you work without much of a reward. You still reap what you sow but you may not deserve what you reap, or you may not even get to keep what you reap. In practicing spiritual disciplines we can grow in our understanding of who God is, we can be better prepared to 'fight', we can develop skills.....but the more we 'master' spiritual disciplines doesn't mean a greater reward in heaven. Our reward is God, there is nothing better....and we don't deserve Him.
I'm sad to say I don't think I've relayed the appropriate motivations for practicing spiritual disciplines. Sure I've mentioned the things above.....how we benefit. But I've failed to mention that its all about praising God. Romans 12:1 describes our spiritual act of worship--to offer our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God. This isn't saying we practice spiritual disciplines to make ourselves more holy so that we can please God even more fully. Instead its saying do these things, practice obedience because God has given you a gift you will never ever be able to deserve. Live your life out of gratitude and reverence for the one who had mercy and compassion on you, knowing before you even started that you wouldn't come close to deserving Him or any of His gifts that we so quickly take for granted.
-I'm incredibly bored at work, I haven't had anything to do for several hours now.
-I'm still reading through the Transforming Grace book....its a bit long and repeats itself. There's a ton of good stuff, but goodness!! Plus since its not really a story or anything, I can only read bits at a time or else I start nodding off.
There is one thing I had been thinking about, which finally the book has move onto:
Since we are saved by grace, God gives us grace throughout our lives. No matter what we do, whether we excel in having consistent quiet times, memorize tons of scripture, teach others, or simply live life and remain horribly inconsistent in all spiritual disciplines....our reward is the same. We will be equally saved.
Then why practice spiritual disciplines? What's our motivation, if its not working towards some great reward? Why not go on sinning so grace abounds more and more?
We practice spiritual disciplines out of gratitude for what God has already done. In the kingdom, you work without much of a reward. You still reap what you sow but you may not deserve what you reap, or you may not even get to keep what you reap. In practicing spiritual disciplines we can grow in our understanding of who God is, we can be better prepared to 'fight', we can develop skills.....but the more we 'master' spiritual disciplines doesn't mean a greater reward in heaven. Our reward is God, there is nothing better....and we don't deserve Him.
I'm sad to say I don't think I've relayed the appropriate motivations for practicing spiritual disciplines. Sure I've mentioned the things above.....how we benefit. But I've failed to mention that its all about praising God. Romans 12:1 describes our spiritual act of worship--to offer our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God. This isn't saying we practice spiritual disciplines to make ourselves more holy so that we can please God even more fully. Instead its saying do these things, practice obedience because God has given you a gift you will never ever be able to deserve. Live your life out of gratitude and reverence for the one who had mercy and compassion on you, knowing before you even started that you wouldn't come close to deserving Him or any of His gifts that we so quickly take for granted.
posted by Korryn at
4:36 PM
1 Comments:
Sounds like someone is reading out of Romans, you sounded like a modern day Paul!
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home