On
a good day I get up in the morning before the kids do and take a few
minutes for myself. I write, read or just have some coffee. At six
A.M. it's go time. Feed the dogs. Get Mackenzie up, dressed and
eating. Shower and get dressed. Get Grayson up dressed and eating.
Leave to take Mackenzie to daycare as close to seven as I can.
On
the hour plus drive to daycare and work I either listen to music or a
podcast. I work seven to eight hours. Sometimes I stop for lunch.
Sometimes I don't. I pick up Grayson on my way home. Another hour of
music or podcasts. Kay gets home with Mackenzie around six and we
launch right into the nightly routine of supper, baths, books and
bed. If all goes well both kids are asleep by 9:30 P.M.
We
watch some TV or clean the house. Either way I go to bed way too
late for how early I get up. Rinse, repeat and do it all again the
next morning.
So
where is the Christian in there?
I
went from being a hopelessly lost atheist fighting for my share of
the limited resources of Earth to having a personnel relationship
with my creator who calls me to love my neighbor as myself.
Shouldn't my life have changed some? What is different about me from
the next lower middle class white guy? The problem is I was a pretty
good person before I became a Christian and I'm a fairly good person
now. Jesus didn't have to bring me out of a world of vile self
destructive behavior. So outwardly I look pretty much the same.
If
I am being honest the fact is I have not been transformed. Certainly
the spring point for all my actions has changed, but I cannot say I
have worked every day of the last seven years to be more like Christ.
It is a mistake to think that my conversion experience was the end.
It was the beginning, and now the hard work has to be done.
2 comments:
I'm reading a book called Finally Alive by John Piper. It's a very thorough treatment on the subject of being born again. I've been studying out the subjects of salvation, calling, election, predestination and free will for the past few months. What I read makes me very nervous about the current state of the church and churchgoers. Barna's research indicates there is no difference between the churchgoer and the non-churchgoer.
You're dead on right that acceptance of Christ as Lord is only the beginning. Afterward is much work and sacrifice, but we do all unto Christ for love and because He first loved us.
Thanks for reading and commenting RJ. I'll have to check that book out. It sounds good.
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