Called Out

So, the 21 Day journey continues . . .

One of the pieces of this journey is to fast from something, and I wanted to let you know what I've chosen: sweets. No candy, dessert, or soda for three weeks.

Normally this wouldn't be a big deal for me. I'm more of a salty guy than a sweet guy. But, over the past 4-6 weeks, I've noticed that I've been consistently craving sweet snacks. So, I thought this might be the perfect thing for me to give up to be consistently reminded of the presence of God in my life, and His desire to give me a life of "no regrets".

I'm only a couple of days into this, I don't know that I've seen more tempting or delicious desserts than I have over the past couple of days. My house has open bags of Halloween candy, and the lunch I was at yesterday was offering delicious looking desserts for FREE!!! (Those of you that know me know how much I love free stuff!) But, I'm committed to this deal, and I'm looking forward to all that God has to show me.

Now for my thoughts on John 3 . . .

Above all else there is one portion that stood out to me today: verse 3. "No one can see the Kingdom of God unless he is born again."

I don't know about you, but I am constantly asking God to show me what He is up to in this world. I want to see.

I constantly ask questions like:

• God, what are you up to?
• God, who do you want me to talk to?
• God, what do you want me to do?
• God, will you show me your way?

I want to see.

How about you? Are you consistently asking to see?

I believe with all of my heart that God sees the world at a deeper and more meaningful level than I could ever hope to attain. So, I regularly beg Him to show me what I don't see.

This morning, God reminded me that the only way I will see the Kingdom (His work and ways in the world) is for me to continue to live life with a new set of lenses.

The truth is that we all see the world through a set of lenses. And these lenses are colored and tinted by a ton of different factors: self-image, successes, failures, pain, shame, etc.

My lens is often tinted by a sense of insufficiency and inadequacy. Consequently, I work harder. I promise bigger. I hide more.

But the truth is this: I am the child of God.

Where I am weak, He is strong. In fact, in 1 Cor. 12:9, God's Word says, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."

The new lens that allows me to see His Kingdom is a lens of grace. After all, Jesus didn't come to condemn me, but to save me from the broken lenses through which I see the world.

How about you? What lenses do you see the world through?