Sanctifying the “secular…” Webster’s defines “secular” as: - Of or relating to the worldly or temporal - Not overtly or specifically religious - Not bound by monastic vows or rules - Occurring once in an age or century - Existing or continuing through ages or centuries - Of or relating to a long term of indefinite duration Somehow, our culture has made two worlds out of one… There is the “sacred” where God is hollowed (acknowledged as God), or where He is at least respected if not revered… And the “secular” where He is neither hallowed nor even present… This mindset is actually silly, if we believe God is God at all… Did we really “kick” God out of the schools? Does He hide when the coarse jesting and filthy talk begins to arise in the boardrooms? Does He sulk when we do not include His opinion on the discovery channel? Does He wring His hands at His displeasure of our government’s choices? Isaiah 45:5 says, “ I am the LORD and there is no other; there is no God besides Me…” In fact, throughout all of Scripture, the God of the bible declares that the whole earth is His. He sees all… He knows all… He is sovereign over ALL… There is no such thing as “secular” as in a realm existing apart from God’s presence, purpose and judgment. What does this have to do with the sanctuary of the Home??? Everything! How much do we actually “think about God’s pleasure” as we go about our lives… Preparing a meal? Buying a new refrigerator? Which, (or if) what school our children will attend? What kind of TV we allow into our home? What our household budget looks like? How we “spend” our “free” time? How we “spend” our vacation time? How we decorate? How many children we will have? All of these decisions can seem to be “secular” as if God doesn’t really care about them… but He does. God knows that our deepest joy is found ONLY in complete satisfaction IN Him! This is not merely the theoretic and mental “membership” into a theoretic and mental “Heaven” that happens in the distance of a future we cant grasp… Eternal life (For those who have been truly born again in Christ) begins NOW…moving onward into forever! In EVERY real and tangible way, Jesus is LORD of ALL… In the Sanctuary of our home, we open up all aspects of living daily to Him for to be Lord over… This is not another way to self-create a moral code to present our “godliness” to others, but rather, an “offering” to allow Jesus to show us His “best”…that we might “rest” in His goodness. Although there are certainly “natural” desires, no desire is “neutral.” Even good and “ideal” things, can become “idols” in our hearts… It is not hard to see the potential progression for those things to possibly become strongholds in our homes. We will ALWAYS serve the “one” and hate the other… (Matt 6:24-34)) The “test” of this comes as we are being “afflicted by our affections.” That is, our desires want to be satisfied, (every day in very real ways) When they are not being met in the way we want…. We find ourselves in crisis. Therefore, in socially acceptable ways like shopping, to unacceptable ways like drug abuse, we can be tempted to fulfill those desires (ourselves) by any means possible, and end up “serving” the “quick and easy” god that alleviates our distress. Or… we can choose to Trust the Lord and choose to wait for His goodness, no matter how difficult the path may seem in front of us. We can wait… We can trust… We can worship… We belong to the LORD! Our homes are to be His! We are His “Kingdom Outpost…” We are connected to a much better source than a MasterCard or PTA! We have the power to resist the impulse to feed on a “fast-food-fantasy” that will never satisfy anyway… We are given the power of the Holy Spirit to make every-day decisions about… Credit… Food… Entertainment… Décor… And trust God that He will help us stay… Free… Fulfilled… Content… Peaceful… No one can “keep up with the Joneses” anyway, because apparently they are always coming up with a newer; better, bigger version of whatever “thing” is supposed to make us happy, (clever, beautiful, younger, stronger…!) But King Jesus has already given us everything we need for this life and godliness! (2 Peter 3-8) Including the ability to say “no” to the things that harm us and would keep us from experiencing the abundance of life He has promised us! It would be foolish not to utilize His grace in every area of our “home life” ESPECIALLY knowing that the “world” so desperately wants our attentions and our affections on IT! Choose this “day” whom you will serve… Let us Open the Door, and allow the God of Eternity to make sacred our secular world!
Posted on: Thu, 08 Aug 2013 18:32:53 +0000
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