Jesus' words form the basis for the three Anchors of being Neighbors with God. Work the anchors and, I believe, you begin the discipline of life as a Christian.
Jesus said, "I am the Way..." We determine the Way of our faith through prayer. Prayer is communication with God, it is interaction with the Almighty, it is the give and take of a lively, vibrant relationship. Not sure how to pray? That is your first prayer. Lord, I am not so good at praying. Sound a little flippant? I do not believe so. Prayer is as much about figuring out what you have to say as how you say it. It needs to happen daily, hourly, in word and deed. When was the last time you dedicated your day to the Lord?
Jesus said, "I am the Truth..." The truth about Jesus is found in the Bible. I am not saying its an easy read, the bible is not a novel. It is a diversity of literary forms, each with its own rules and formats, yes, starting at the beginning can be the easiest way to shut down. Pick a gospel, its the story of Jesus. Then the rest of the book hangs together on the person and ministry of Jesus Christ. That's the truth.
Jesus said, "I am the Life..." Let's be honest, our spending patterns are the most revealing of what is truly important in our lives. We can say lots of things, prioritize lots of things, including lots and lots about Jesus. But the proof is when we back it up with money. At best, money is necessary for our survival, to purchase the things we need. At worst, it is a way of keeping score in the game of life. But in the end, when we are giving back to God, when we are trusting in Him to provide so that we can give the tithe, or more, we've taken the relationship with God out of the abstract and into the reality of our existence.
These Anchors, these Disciplines, these Faith Practices, whatever you want to call them, they form the foundation of an ongoing and successful relationship with our God which will, in turn, provide us with the spiritual capital to truly build a neighborhood in God's kingdom.
No comments:
Post a Comment