Greetings,
When we purchase an item, we automatically run it through a cost/value analysis. Think of paper plates. Some people value the cheapest price and will compromise quality and the plates will break, leak or be run through with a plastic fork. Other people let the quality dictate their decision, buying plates that practically look like fine china--they value the guarantee of a great plate experience. Most people will land somewhere in the middle with a quality that isn’t life-changing but also isn’t going to biodegrade before you finish eating.
Once we find just the right balance, we often purchase the same kind over and over again, without question. We value the product and so it gets our vote of confidence and thus our business. I want to suggest that each of us make these value estimates not only in our consumer life, but in all facets of our lives. Consequently, even if we value our devotional life, we often vote with our use of time, most of the time subconsciously, very differently than what we say we value.
"I want to spend more time in reading God’s word and devoting myself to the instructions of Jesus... I want to get healthy... I want to spend more time in face to face conversations... I wish I had more time to do… I wish, I dream, I hope, I want, I desire, etc…" are each the beginning of a value statement. We desire some level of intimacy with the Lord and with others, but we either do not value it enough to make it happen, value the other things that steal our time more, or are so distracted by the urgent matters around us that we don’t persevere in doing what we know we need most.
There is this tension that we all live. How much time and energy am I going to put toward something that I value? Paul said it best, “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.” Romans 7:15-20
He is saying that he often loses the value war within himself. The Holy Spirit within him values the good but his sin too often wins out in the value war. If you were to look at Paul’s life, it would be difficult to prove that he did not value the good things of the spirit. I think the aggregate of his life demonstrated that he valued the Spirit more than the things of the flesh. We recognize that he continued to strive to obtain it. As we see him state in Philippians 3:14, "I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."
If we value the Lord in our life, it should show through personal growth and development, a deepening love and devotion to the Lord through obeying his commands, and teaching others to obey His commands as well. That is His calling in the life of every believer. We make value statements all day, everyday by the decisions that we make. Every time we say yes to something we are saying no to something else. Are you saying yes to God? In the end, will the aggregate of your life demonstrate that you valued Jesus above everything else? We can get discouraged that we often do what we don’t want to like Paul. If we truly value Jesus like we say we do, press on, keep trying, don’t give up! Demonstrate by your decisions that you value Christ more.
Love ya,
Chris
"I want to spend more time in reading God’s word and devoting myself to the instructions of Jesus... I want to get healthy... I want to spend more time in face to face conversations... I wish I had more time to do… I wish, I dream, I hope, I want, I desire, etc…" are each the beginning of a value statement. We desire some level of intimacy with the Lord and with others, but we either do not value it enough to make it happen, value the other things that steal our time more, or are so distracted by the urgent matters around us that we don’t persevere in doing what we know we need most.
There is this tension that we all live. How much time and energy am I going to put toward something that I value? Paul said it best, “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.” Romans 7:15-20
He is saying that he often loses the value war within himself. The Holy Spirit within him values the good but his sin too often wins out in the value war. If you were to look at Paul’s life, it would be difficult to prove that he did not value the good things of the spirit. I think the aggregate of his life demonstrated that he valued the Spirit more than the things of the flesh. We recognize that he continued to strive to obtain it. As we see him state in Philippians 3:14, "I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."
If we value the Lord in our life, it should show through personal growth and development, a deepening love and devotion to the Lord through obeying his commands, and teaching others to obey His commands as well. That is His calling in the life of every believer. We make value statements all day, everyday by the decisions that we make. Every time we say yes to something we are saying no to something else. Are you saying yes to God? In the end, will the aggregate of your life demonstrate that you valued Jesus above everything else? We can get discouraged that we often do what we don’t want to like Paul. If we truly value Jesus like we say we do, press on, keep trying, don’t give up! Demonstrate by your decisions that you value Christ more.
Love ya,
Chris