Found in Translation

Romans 1:16-32

Paul paints a picture of how we lose our passion to worship Christ

Key Verses:
What happened was this: People knew God perfectly well, but when they didn't treat him like God, refusing to worship him, they trivialized themselves into silliness and confusion so that there was neither sense nor direction left in their lives. So God said, in effect, "If that's what you want, that's what you get." It wasn't long before they were living in a pigpen, smeared with filth, filthy inside and out. And all this because they traded the true God for a fake god, and worshiped the god they made instead of the God who made them—the God we bless, the God who blesses us.
- Romans 1:21,22,24,25 (TM)

Worth Memorizing:
Scripture has said all along:
"The person in right standing before God by trusting him really lives."
- Romans 1:17 (TM)

This morning I used www.biblegateway.com to re-read this passage from the book of Romans in 5 different translations (and/or paraphrases - for the scholars out there). What a fantastic resource. All I do is click a drop-down box and I can read the scripture in 20 different English forms. I loved how Christ was able to surround me in his Word through different word choice, sentence structure and language to help the message settle in on me. I really found the Message version hit me the hardest this morning. Walking away from God and turning to living on our own isn't just about choice A or B. God is one way, mine is another. It's about the loss of life, of worship, of love, of freedom, of purpose, and the list goes on and on. And the saddest part is the longer we are away from the worship of him who created us, the more we convince ourselves the loss was the right choice. The longer we walk in darkness the more think it's ok and we even want to encourage others to walk with us in darkness. I am not so sure this about people who don't know Christ. I think this is me and my family and my friends who know Christ, but who for some reason make choices to stop worshipping. At first it probably seems little or insignificant. I fail to pray, I get out of reading God's word regularly, I go to church but don;t seem to be connecting with God. But this snowball effect gets going and bigger things creep in because I start to convince myself that I am too busy, or people are pressuring me or I have stressors. And we start lying to ourselves about what's important and what's not. And the snowball gets bigger and and bigger and before you know it, it's been weeks since I have prayed with a friend, or listened to worship music during my commute, or opened my Bible. And then I lie more to myself and I start getting frustrated with my faith and the irony is I will start getting frustrated with other peoples faith. As if pointing a finger will ease my own guilt. And all along Christ is saying way off in the distance of my right mind, "Why are you choosing this? Why don't you come spend some time with me? What are you afraid of? Why do you make your life so complicated?"

Jesus, keep me close. Help me choose to worship you with my thoughts, my heart, my life - always.

There's Nothing Like a Transformed Life

Romans 1:1-9

Key Passage: "I always thank God for you... because our testimony about Christ was confirmed in you."

Worth Memorizing: "God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful."

There have been lots of people in my life who I wish I could be a witness to the transformation of their life; people I have hoped would find the freedom of Christ that I know, people who I have hoped would find the joy and peace of Christ that cannot be found in anything else. And the truth of the Gospel has crossed my lips countless times where I wasn't sure at all if it was heard.

And then there are those people who I have had the privilege to watch transform into what Christ intended all along. People who have gone from despair to hope, wanderings to purpose, bondage to freedom, guilt to grace.

I had that privilege this past Sunday as I watched a friend sing a song in front of hundreds of people that spoke to his new-found love for Christ. A friend who not long ago was lost and wandering, alone and feeling like life was passing him by.

I don't think everyone who heard his song understood the depths to which the lyric spoke or the journey it took to get there. But, oh what joy it brought me to see his face and know what it meant to him to stand changed by Christ for all the world to see.

There is no greater testimony to the reality of Christ than a life transformed by His grace. And I find nothing more beautiful than having a front row seat.