I don't wanna go through the motions
I don't wanna go one more day
without Your all consuming passion inside of me
I don't wanna spend my whole life asking,
"What if I had given everything,
instead of going through the motions?"
I've been really getting into Bible study. Feeding my spirit rather than feeding my face. I used to think about food all the time and what and when I was going to eat again. Now, all I can think about is when I can get into my Bible again. I was driving in the car this morning and started thinking about the Matthew West song, "The Motions". I know I've been through the motions before. It's so easy to do. We go to church and we know how to talk the language. But, I don't have a desire to just read my Bible to demonstrate that I know facts about God. I sincerely want to know HIM. I want my heart to break because of the things that break His heart. I want to know what makes Him happy and what makes Him sad. I don't just want to know these things in my head. I want my heart to change.
Then I got on the scale today to see if there's been a change in my weight. I have definitely been eating less and choosing healthier, lower calorie foods. I know I have to be patient with weight loss, but I also know from experience that I won't see a change until I get moving. That's not much different than our Christian life. We can read the Bible and feed our brains until we are fat with knowledge about God. However, we won't see a change until we become "doers of the Word". James 1:22-25 says, "But be ye doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the Word and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed." I could go on & on with the details of this passage, but I'll just get to the heart of it all. James is talking about our faith and how we will have trials. Having faith means that we will obey God's Word---what we hear. Being obedient is when we put that faith into action. This is to involve every area of our lives....our speech, our conduct, our habits, our behaviors at all times.
Coincidentally, I am preparing to study the book of James in my weekly Bible study at church that begins next Tuesday. We will be using Beth Moore's "Mercy Triumphs" study. Here I am today thinking of how much I want to deeply know God and He lays this all on my heart and ties it all together in such a way that I I feel Him so near. Two weeks ago, when I felt God desired for me to write my own devotional, it was overwhelming to me. I cried as I said the words out loud to my daughter that I should write down the things God lays on my heart, as I knew it was a big commitment. Another challenge that I am feeling greatly overwhelmed with right now is to memorize the book of James. I know the benefits of hiding God's Word in our hearts, as I was an AWANA leader for years and I loved to hear those kids recite their verses and understand what God's Word meant to them! I even learned the verses too.....because we learn by repetition after all!! Still, I feel overwhelmed looking at these 5 chapters of James......108 verses. I can not do this on my own. I refer to Philippians 4:13 "I can do ALL things through Christ which strenghteneth me."
Lord, I absolutely LOVE You! You deserve all glory! I praise You! Thank you for Your Word, Your Holy Spirit, Your Son that died for my sins, for all that You created that we enjoy! Thank You for the wisdom You give so freely and Your unconditional love. Help me to love everyone and see them as You do. Help me to be obedient to You and seek Your kingdom. Today I am also hurting for some dear friends and I ask that You comfort them and guide them . Lord help mend broken relationships and help the hurting that have lost loved ones. I ask in Jesus' name, AMEN!
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