An Anchored Soul

I’m going through a slump, personally. I think I mentioned it earlier. I’m tired. Moving is hard. I tend to have this down time after a move. It just takes time. Sunday our pastor finished a five month series preaching through the book of Hebrews, and we were blessed to be able to learn from it during the last month. I studied Hebrews last Spring with our little group of women before we moved. Once again I was reminded that Jesus is better. He is the hope that anchors my soul. As I sat there Sunday morning at the end of the sermon, the pastor encouraged us to lash our lives to Jesus. I had this vivid mental picture of myself standing at the very edge of a deep pit, feeling hopeless until I remembered that it is not my balance and strength that keep me from falling over into the depression. It is His strength. His grace. His mercy. My life is hid in Christ, and He will complete the work He has begun in me. My life is lashed to Jesus, the anchor for my soul. I do not have to go into the pit. Though I feel tired, He is better. Life is good in His mercy.

Our church is beginning a study with the book Crazy Love by Francis Chan. We will be meeting in small groups on Sunday nights to discuss and encourage each other to know God and to love Him more. It’s going to be challenging, I think. I’m looking forward to it. I’ll probably blog some about it in the weeks to come. Here’s something good from this week’s reading:

“But before we look at what is wrong and address it, we need to understand something. The core problem isn’t the fact that we’re lukewarm, halfhearted, or stagnant Christians. The crux of it all is why we are that way, and it is because we have an inaccurate view of God. We see Him as a benevolent Being who is satisfied when people manage to fit Him into their lives in some small way. We forget that God never had an identity crisis. He knows that He’s great and deserves to be the center of our lives. Jesus came humbly as a servant, but He never begs us to give Him some small part of ourselves. He commands everything from His followers.”

See, right doctrine should lead to right living. A right understanding of God is necessary, not so that I can win verbal contests, but so that I can love Him rightly.