Use it On Monday, by Michelle DeRusha
Michelle writes a daily blog about finding faith in the everyday at Graceful. On Monday's she reflects on Sunday's sermon in a weekly post entitled "Use it on Monday." She's nice enough to let us re-post it on Southwood's blog. You can read it here each week and then click over to Michelle's blog for more of her writing.
The Tall Order
We read Romans 12:1-2 and 9-16 in church this morning. Let me paraphrase how Paul suggests we act as Christians:
1. Let your body be a living and holy sacrifice for God.
2. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world.
3. Let God transform you into a new person and change the way you think.
4. Don’t pretend to love others; really love them.
5. Hate what is wrong and hold tightly to what is good.
6. Love each other with genuine affection and honor each other.
7. Don’t be lazy, but work hard to serve God with enthusiasm.
8. Be patient in hard times.
9. Keep praying always.
10. Be ready to help God’s people when they are in need.
11. Be eager to practice hospitality.
12. Bless those who persecute you; don’t curse them. And pray that God will bless them.
13. Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep.
14. Live in harmony with each other.
15. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people.
16. Don’t think you know it all.
Jeesh. I don’t know about you, but that seems like a real tall order to me. I look at that list, and I realize that on a good day, I may achieve half or maybe three-fourths of the suggestions, but then drop the ball on the remaining items. I’m willing to bet that I haven’t nailed all 16 of these suggestions in a single day in my almost-41 years (#16 is particularly problematic for me).
Honestly, I look at the list and I don’t feel inspired or motivated; I feel overwhelmed. Part of me thinks, “What’s the point? It’s impossible. I’m never going to get there, so I might as well give up.”
Pastor Greg linked this reading from Romans with his message on commencement, as Southwood’s high school seniors prepare to graduate from high school and take the next big step in their lives. He noted that we often think of graduation as an ending, when in fact, the word commencement actually means the act of beginning or starting something new.
As I listened to the sermon, I was reminded of this verse from Lamentations (a verse I coincidentally wrote about just last week):
The faithful love of the LORD never ends.
His mercies never cease.
Great is his faithfulness;
his mercies begin afresh each morning. (Lamentations 3:22-23)
The thing is, God knows we can’t achieve all 16 items on Paul’s “How to be a Good Christian” list. He knows we are flawed, that we sin and sin again. He knows that on any given day we may be patient and hard-working, but then turn around and curse a co-worker or complain about our in-laws.
What's simply astounding is that in spite of this, he has mercy on us – and not just once, but every day. His mercy never ceases; he offers a fresh supply every morning.
The point is not that we can’t achieve all 16 items on the list, but that God gives us the opportunity to try again and again. He knows this process of transformation is painfully slow, and so he gives us a fresh start, a new beginning, every morning. We fail on Tuesday, he gives us another shot on Wednesday. He showers us with mercy and grace and gives us a second chance, a third chance, an infinite number of chances to continue the process of transformation.
Paul gives us a tall order indeed. But God’s grace lifts us up high, again and again and again.
You can read more of Michelle's writing on her blog Graceful.
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