Under the Weather, Over the Procrastination

I began writing this at 203 am, half an hour after writing my Easter Experience blog, and wanting to go sleep, and realizing I can’t because I have way too much things going through my mind.  So much things that I have to write about it before I could get some rest.  Finished writing this morning…

Well, Here I am.  I have been sick for 4 days straight now.  I am lying here on my bed wondering, “How the heck did I get to this point?!”  I look back on my weekend I think I’ve found the culprit.  Last friday night I stayed up the ENTIRE night working on my latest painting and in the morning I picked up the youth and headed down to set up for the Button Mashers show.  Needless to say, that time of staying awake longer than 50+ hours does screw up your body clock and throws off your health for a loop.  But praise God that the show was a success and God truly sustained me throughout the entire day.

Backtracking just a bit, I actually planned out my pieces weeks before hand but chose to wait till the last minute to start painting.  You know the little saying, “Ehh, I get em.  I’ve done this so many times.  God pulled me through for me many times before…”  Little did I know that little pride became the precursor to my weary health.

But going down a bit deeper, and cutting myself open (figuratively), I realized as I lye here in bed, that the reason I’m in the place where I am, is because I have NOT ordered my private world!  In hindsight, I knew that I should have started to paint earlier and that I should NOT have procrastinated.  Procrastination is such an artist trait, but be it as it may, I have to choose to NOT conform any longer to this pattern/trait of the world.  In Romans  12:2, it says…

“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

So after going through the fire (of a 100 degree fever and irritating coughing spells).  God’s discipline was in line and was put in my place of repentance before my Lord.  

In Hebrews 12:5 a word of encouragement is given…

 “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline,
      and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,
 because the Lord disciplines those he loves,
      and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son.”

and it goes onto say from the same chapter, from verses 11-13…

“No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

 Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. ‘Make level paths for your feet,’ so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.”

So I am thankful that my God loves me enough to discipline me of my shortcomings.

And also, it says in 2 Corinthians 7:10…

“Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.”

So I choose to own up to my foolishness and bad decisions, but as the Word says… a harvest of righteousness and peace, and healing would come about it.  So God, I claim your promises… heal me and transform me…

So when repentance is in line, it all ties in to a simple thing called Lordship.  Spending my time wisely and making the most of every opportunity. 

I hope that through my foolishness, it would turn others to making right decisions and not give in to procrastination, in order to be 100% healthy…

And to encourage myself (and to all who may read this), I am reminded of a book I read called Life You’ve Always Wanted, written by John Ortberg that best describes what it means to be under the Lordship of Christ… (the emphasis are mines…) 

“Paul writes to the church at Colossae, as the climax of instruction on transformed living: “Whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

What does it mean to do something “in the name of Jesus?” Generally speaking, in the Bible a person’s name has to do with his or her character.  So doing something in “Jesus’ name means to do it in his character.  It means doing it as Jesus himself would do it if he were in your place.  This flows right out of our understanding of discipleship.”

But what is striking here is the comprehensive nature of what Paul says: “Whatever you do…” Lest there be any confusion, Paul explains what he means: “Whatever you do in word or deed….” That covers it all.  But again, in case we are tempted to allow for loopholes, Paul says it once more: “Whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything….”

Then Ortberg gives us questions to think about that is worth pondering over… and they are…

“What would it mean for us to “wake up in Jesus’ name?”

“What would it mean for us to drive in Jesus’ name?”

“How do we watch television in Jesus’ name?

“What does it mean to do household chores in Jesus’ name?”

“How do I work in Jesus’ name?” (pause)

“How do we spend money in the name of Jesus?”

I encourage ya’ll to humbly take stock of your life, and really see what areas of your life do you have to surrender to the Lordship of Christ… 

… and as we do so, lets “do life in Jesus’ name.”

July 2, 2009 | Categories: identity, life, life lessons, manhood, ministry, missions, reflection | Leave a comment