Tag: Francis Chan

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Days of our lives

Its good to be back home, where you know the only nastiness on the remote is your own nastiness.  This week has left me a little brain dead, so I have a simple thought to share this morning.  Last week I finally finished Crazy Love by Francis Chan.  This sentence has stuck with me:

I concur with Annie Dillard, who once said, “How we live our day is…. how we live our lives.”  We each need to discover for ourselves how to live this day in faithful surrender to God as we “continue to work out [our] salvation with fear and trembling”(Philippians 2:12).

I agree as well.  And that’s why its important to focus on your days, for they comprise your life.  And that’s also why I think vacations are good.  They allow you to step away from your day and evaluate if they are adding up to the life you want.  Next week I will be doing that, and there may be some guest bloggers keeping the buffetting going.

13But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. (Hebrews 3:13 (New International Version))

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Faith?

Wow, so the school Christmas programs are over – that means that big day is pretty soon.  There were several comments on my selected present from yesterday, but I could still use some suggestions for Amy.  Add some comments!  Josh’s countdown continues today with , get ready, The Jonas Brothers!  YES!  Not quite NKOTB, but close – Here it is Girl of My Dreams.

I have still been thinking about those shepherds and magi, and the faith it took for them to go to Bethlehem to find this new born king.  So that on top of the fact that I am slowly going through Crazy Love by Francis Chan. ( I say slowly because the book is so challenging I have to stop and think and process after a few pages, but its a great read.  I recommend it for Christmas).

Anyway, I have been thinking about faith.  The shepherd’s faith and my own faith.  Mr Chan asks this question in the his book “What are you doing right now that requires faith?”  Its a really really tough question.  How much faith does it take for me to go to work?  To type this blog?  To do each of my conference calls?  Recently, I ate lunch with a family who a few years ago, packed up, took their 4 children out of an exception private school, and went to China to live and teach for a year.  I sit in awe when I think about the faith it takes to do that!  I am not saying lets all head to China ( or maybe I am), but I am suggesting as you visit the new born king over the next few days, examine yourself.

Examine yourself, your faith, ask yourself – what are you doing right now that requires faith?  I don’t think this is a flippant question.  Its a hard question.  but its one that we all should examine.  So when you are sitting around at night, think about these shepherds,  think about these Magi.  Think about your faith, and then go visit the new born king, and see what that does to your answer to this question!

Hebrews 11:6

New International Version (NIV)

6And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

And then check the whole of Isaiah 58.

oh by the way, I still am finding myself singing

Glória in excélsis Deo