DELIBERATELY PURSUING GOD
PART 27
WILL YOU BE ASHAMED?

I was at work the other day and walked past a television in the break room that was showing a concert by a popular country music band. I stopped for a moment and was amazed at the effect this music was having on the people. They were jumping, singing, clapping and raising their hands with such excitement and enthusiasm. I walked away thinking about how people express their love and passion for the things that mean the most to them. Then I wondered if any of those people (or people like them) expressed their love for God that way. Could it be that people who slip quietly in and out of church act differently when they participate in something they love? Are there Christians that are not excited about worshipping God when they are in church yet have no problem shouting the house down when their favorite band or team is playing?

Our lives are filled with choices and freewill gives us the liberty to select what is important to us. We all have priorities but the problem (in God’s eyes) is that many of our desires are in the wrong order. We are so attached to this world because it is the home of our flesh. Our body loves it here (was born and raised here) and is very comfortable living in the sweet familiar, “spoiled” realm of emotions and feelings. It is the realm of “default” because without our hand on the spiritual “wheel”, we will (naturally) drift into being dominated by our human nature. This is why it is so difficult to re-learn how to live again; we are not only introduced to Jesus as our new master but also to our new spirit man within us. They both live in another dimension and are constantly calling us to join them. Of course this new world is enmity to our old world which causes a continuous “tug-of-war” battle for control. Is it any wonder why our services are not filled with laughter, joy, love and appreciation instead of apathy and criticism? Since our existence in the next life will be spent worshipping God you would think we could get a good head start expressing our adoration to God – right? Not exactly! Many are ashamed and embarrassed with what others may say about them, others have sin in their life and choose to stand at a distance from the thunder and lightning of God’s presence. Only when God becomes “the love of our heart” will we not be ashamed of Him.