Just Do It

Today's blog is just me getting some thoughts about Scripture down before I forget them. All of these texts are taken from the Message translation. Mainly because when I'm trying to figure out life application, it's easier for me to read them in the Message. 

Ephesians 4:1-3 In light of all this, here’s what I want you to do. While I’m locked up here, a prisoner for the Master, I want you to get out there and walk—better yet, run!—on the road God called you to travel. I don’t want any of you sitting around on your hands. I don’t want anyone strolling off, down some path that goes nowhere. And mark that you do this with humility and discipline—not in fits and starts, but steadily, pouring yourselves out for each other in acts of love, alert at noticing differences and quick at mending fences. 

This one is a little bit of a conviction and a little bit of an affirmation that I am in God's will. Conviction because for far too long I've been sitting around on my hands; making lofty statements and having a smug attitude, but not putting action to my words. I feel very strongly that I am being called to do something in Women's Ministry. My unique circumstances and story of redemption have not been in vain, and God has to have to some way for me to help another woman along the way. That's the only explanation. So, it's a conviction in that I didn't do this earlier but an affirmation because I believe it points to what I need to do next.That last bit of verse 3 is a call to action if I've ever seen one. I am most struck by "acts of love" and "quick at mending fences." I think that a LOT OF WOMEN pour themselves out for each other, but mostly it's done out of duty or obligation. We've been neglecting the acts of love and quick at mending fences parts.  

Ephesians 51-2 Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn’t love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that. 

3-4 Don’t allow love to turn into lust, setting off a downhill slide into sexual promiscuity, filthy practices, or bullying greed. Though some tongues just love the taste of gossip, those who follow Jesus have better uses for language than that. Don’t talk dirty or silly. That kind of talk doesn’t fit our style. Thanksgiving is our dialect. 

5 You can be sure that using people or religion or things just for what you can get out of them—the usual variations on idolatry—will get you nowhere, and certainly nowhere near the kingdom of Christ, the kingdom of God. 

6-7 Don’t let yourselves get taken in by religious smooth talk. God gets furious with people who are full of religious sales talk but want nothing to do with him. Don’t even hang around people like that. 

8-10 You groped your way through that murk once, but no longer. You’re out in the open now. The bright light of Christ makes your way plain. So no more stumbling around. Get on with it! The good, the right, the true—these are the actions appropriate for daylight hours. Figure out what will please Christ, and then do it.

I feel like I could bold this entire passage. The entire thing!

First, I love the idea that Paul plainly states that mostly what God does is love us. This is such a tender image of Abba Father. For me, this is helpful because I'm the kid who grew up imagining a big, scary God who punishes instead of a loving Father who wraps His arms around me so that I may find peace and comfort and LOVE. It is even more comforting now because my relationship with my dad has gotten to the point where I can equate fatherly love to Fatherly love. And, I KNOW, that even though I may disappoint, upset, or even fail Him completely, God's still got me. Redemption is such a beautiful concept. I literally cling to Him when it comes to this idea. 

Second, "love like that." Oh man! Oh man! Oh man! In case you haven't noticed, lately God has really been showing me that loving others is being obedient to the command to love God. This is just one more example in a long string of examples that God is showing me. I am pumped to see this. Pumped! Imagine loving others extravagantly. Just, what does that look like? I don't think it's a Hollywood-style version of love, where you bestow gifts upon lavish gifts on others. No. I think to love extravagantly is to love sacrificially; to meet people where they are, regardless of where that is and what they are doing, and love them. Love them even if you are shunned by some. Love them even if they disagree with you. Love them if they literally stink. Love them through their sin and heartache. Let them know that Christ loves them enough to free them from that sin. Love like that.

Finally, how can it be more plain than to "Figure out what will please Christ, then do it."? In the now-immortal words of Nike, "Just Do It."