One hard we all share is keeping our lives aligned with God. Bombarded with choices and tasks, our focus slips off Him, and we soon assume mastery over our life. We sideline the Holy Spirit and march through our days, and therefore our lives, making one decision after another without consulting the One whose perspective remains true and all-encompassing; whose wisdom holds both our eternal best, and the best for His Kingdom, in hand. As we move on, out of alignment, we hope He is keeping in step with us.
“Much of our difficulty as seeking Christians stems from
our unwillingness to take God as He is and adjust our lives accordingly.
We insist upon trying to modify Him
and to bring Him nearer to our own image.” A.W. Tozer
Reading this statement, my mind flashes back to a skit performed in a church service. A powerful visual of this very thought. Using your mind’s eye, follow me into a darkened theater with a lit, but empty stage.
A man quietly walks to center stage, raises both his left and right arm out to his sides, shoulder height, rotating his hands so his palms face the audience, and hangs his head.
Another man comes in from stage left, dressed as an athlete, dribbling a basketball. He pulls off a few tricks and fancy spins, but just as he strikes the position to shoot a basket, he notices the Christlike character. Intrigued, he sets his ball down, circling and studying. Slow, but deliberate, he changes “Christ’s” position, bending him slightly at the knees, putting the arms in a shooting position and raising his head up. Satisfied with the result, he grabs his ball and dribbles back off stage right. “Christ” repositions himself to the cross pose.
A third character enters stage left; a business woman. Clearly stressed, she rushes through her motions, briefcase in one hand, phone in the other, checking her watch. She stops to hail a taxi, and likewise notices the Christlike character over her shoulder. Setting her briefcase down, she too walks around, studying Him. Gently, she changes his pose to someone hailing a taxi with one hand and holding a briefcase in the other. Content with the likeness, she grabs her briefcase, and bustles off stage right. “Christ” repositions himself to the cross pose.
A fourth character walks on stage. Hands in pockets, he scuffs along, but stops when he sees the Christlike character. Like the others, slow and thoughtful, he walks around Him. Then, facing the audience, he stands in front of “Christ”. Looking over his shoulder for alignment, he slowly raises his right arm. Then does the same with his left arm. He then bows his head, matching the cruciform of “Christ”. Lights fade.
Eyes closed, hit rewind and play that through again. Do you get chills too?
In Luke 9:23, Jesus says, “If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me.” Deny self. Daily. Hard. There is nothing self-centered about following Jesus. He calls us to live God-centered lives, putting Him and others before us.
But, we tend to barrel through life keeping our wants, needs and desires in the forefront. Busy accomplishing goals we have set for ourselves. Ignoring God-nudges and Spirit-direction. So caught up in “me and mine” we aren’t even aware of His presence. And when He does catch our eye, do we move to realign with Him, or desire Him to step into whatever we’re about in that moment?
Sometimes we are unsure which character we represent. How do we know? The choices we make day after day through our life hold the evidence. Evaluating every area of life, do we choose God above all else? Consider money, relationships, ambitions. Everything. Who are we striving to please? Self or God? Whose way is chosen? Mine or His? Who is exalted?
How do we do battle in this hard? Through time in His presence and in the Word, we keep His plumb-line of truth and His ways clear and in focus as a measure for all we do, say and think. Many times a day we lay self down and readjust our walk to His pace on the path He chose for us.
We live our lives cruciform as our choices reflect the way of the cross; as our thoughts and actions align with His will and His way; and, as we strive to take every step in sync with His Spirit. As always, He will help guide and instruct as we practice cruciform. And soon we find the task not as difficult as we become gradually transformed to His likeness. (2 Corinthians 3:18) We find our souls at rest, at peace, and full of joy. Three treasures we all desire.
Photo by Mohamed Nohassi on Unsplash
