Hello, world!
I slept rather good last night, except for my dream about a hotel I was staying at that exploded. Perhaps I should skip snacks at seven o’clock. However, my dream was a good dream, although one might call it an exceptionally bad one. I believe it brings something to light.
I am a busy girl.
I wake up early, feed the dogs and horse, eat my own breakfast, practice piano, do my schoolwork, ride my horse, go to activities, and eat dinner, then hit the hay. That is my average everyday schedule. I love the things I do, let’s just put it that way.
But, with all the things I do, I am so busy sometimes that I often ponder and ask myself this,”What is life all about?” I do so many things and live for those very things, that I wonder what am I truly living for? If I died today, say in a hotel that were exploding, could I be able to say I lived for what I was called for? I’m not sure.
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
– Matthew 28:19-20 ESV
So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
– 1 Corinthians 10:31 ESV
Looking at what Christ says about life shows us lots of things:
1. This is not my life.
I was created for a purpose that only the Lord currently knows, and like 1 Corinthians 10:31 says, everything I do (including my life) is for the glory of Christ; not my own. My life is something He has made to help get the word out and share His love with others. This life is the life Christ wants us to live for His glory and show everyone (1 Timothy 4:12) His light, love, and sacrifice.
2. My life is a reflection for others to follow
Like Matthew 28:19-20 says, we make disciples with our lives and we gather and make an army for Christ! We go and serve anyone of any nation, any color, any day when Our Father says,”Go.” We are called by Christ to preach the gospel no matter what our age (this goes for u and me).
3. I must obey
You are my friends if you do what I command.
– John 15:4
For me, this is hardest. I don’t know why, but sometimes I can’t obey without a fight. I’m being honest. All humans have self will and they want things done their way or no way at all. The reason we had to have Christ come is because Eve had her own agenda and ate the fruit after God warned them millions of times. Because, when the serpent came to Eve, he acted all smooth and comfy, “God didn’t really mean to say you’ll die, because you won’t!” Eve was still unsure and she quoted God with a slight alteration,”Oh, no um, God said we couldn’t eat of it or touch it lest we die.” Then, after more persuasion, she ate the fruit.
When I am called to obey, I get temptations telling me not to do what I was called. Like Eve, we talk to our temptations and ponder about them for a while. NEWS FLASH: Don’t talk to temptations if you don’t want to get tricked.
4. My spiritual gifts and talents are from Christ
And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues.
– 1 Corinthians 12:28 ESV
So, what is a spiritual gift/talent? Really, they are two different things. A spiritual gift is something Christ gives us to help the church. For example: You could say your spiritual gift is encouragement or kindness to someone in times of trouble. Or perhaps it’s prayer; someone who has the gift of prayer can deliver beautiful blessings on your life through intercession through the Spirit.
A talent is something that you are good at to proclaim the Kingdom of God! For example: I enjoy riding horses and I’m good at it. It’s a passion that Christ has given me that I love to do. Maybe, later on, I can give lessons to children who don’t know Christ and use it as a ministry. Same goes for piano. I love to play, and maybe I can play for my church and again, use it for the Kingdom of God.
Your spiritual gift and talent proclaim the name of Christ whenever you use it for His Glory. He gave it to you, so you must use it for Him somehow.
5. He made your life; enjoy it!
So I commend the enjoyment of life, because there is nothing better for a person under the sun than to eat and drink and be glad. Then joy will accompany them in their toil all the days of the life God has given them under the sun.
– Ecclesiastes 8:15 NIV
In the midst of honoring Christ, we are actually called to enjoy life! He made our everyday, and all our beautiful memories and moments. If we’re always “I don’t have fun because I’m a Christian,” that’s just wrong. It’s like in Lois Lowry’s the Giver, no one could have fun; there was no color, no joy, no emotion, no memories of the old world. That is, until the end (I won’t say anymore in case you haven’t read it 😀 ). The point is, life was made in the beginning to be enjoyed in the garden by Adam and Eve. True, this world is no perfect garden, and we must accept it’s pain like Jonas had to accept it from the Giver, but in it’s midst, let’s make the best of it and have fun. Enjoying yourself isn’t a sin. As I’ve said before, saying no thanks to fun is rejecting a perfect gift God is giving you because He loves to see that smile, hear that giggle.
So, in case you are ever trapped in an exploding hotel, you know what you did right and that Christ is the meaning of life, and in the end we’ll be there with Him when He says,”Well done, good and faithful servant.”
All for now,
Emily 😀 P.S. I realize that when I wrote Thursday update, it was really Tuesday. 😉
