Command & Consequence

If I recall, I posted a similar topic a few weeks ago (or months now... I seriously can't keep up), but I was reminded of just how hard it is to come to basic agreements of late. Granted, it was a political volley on social media, but still... I offered the lowest common denominator I could beginning with the words, "can we agree?"

No, was the reply. I can't.

Really? 

When people miss the fact that all of us our flawed failures, we are in trouble. But nearly as much as when we miss this truth about ourselves. Unhealthy pride (that which is not laced with a humble spirit of constant gratitude) is a dangerous gremlin to deal with, especially when it leads to spiritual blindness and spiritual arrogance.

This was Satan's downfall. At look what his first conversation involves. The presentation that He knows more about what's God's Words meant than the person to whom God actually spoke. He called into doubt, God's dynamic reality of command and consequence.

And yet, as we pray for missionaries, this is the communication battle we face.

All have fallen short of the glory of God.
** but others have fallen more than I, so I should be okay.
Unfortunately, that's not how God sees it
** but I don't believe in God, so I really don't care how He sees it.

This is troubling. We allow arguments to enter our spiritual conversation that we would never tolerate in our own homes or other aspects of our lives. Yet we justify so much in order to avoid dealing with the aforementioned dynamic reality of God.

On this #missionsFriday, pray for a spiritual awakening. Pray that God would help His truth to be effectively communicated. Pray for the spiritual blinders to come off and the arrogance to be shaken. Pray that pride by cast aside and that we would return to humbling ourselves before the Lord; worthy of neither His grace nor His glory that has been offered to us freely through the sacrifice of Christ. Pray God's forgiveness for the mess that we have made out of His Creation, as we have continually put other people, things and agendas in higher priority than He.

Fallen and broken
In need of grace and redemption
For the glory of God.

- PNC