On a Collision Course with Destruction

This is how we began our vacation. Okay, it wasn't our vehicle. We had absolutely nothing to do with it. We were just sitting at a traffic light watching someone else's day as it fell into ruins. I couldn't help but think, however, here we were, anticipating a time of fun and relaxation together while this poor guy's stomach was doing somersaults, he was likely going to spend the rest of his day retelling his story and listening to terrible generic jazz while he hung on the line with the insurance company. I felt really bad for him. Little did I know, our vacation would turn out to be something of a nightmare itself. If he was here, I'd tell him that just to make him feel a little better.

My point is, we make plans. We think what we're doing is going to result in fun, status, rest, financial gain, happiness, control --whatever it is we think we need; sometimes it leads us straight to problems. But I think we've all been there: I have a lack; I will fill that void.

Luke 9:24 CJSB says, "For whoever tries to save his own life will destroy it." Now that might sound a bit harsh. After all, who wouldn't go to the hospital if they were having chest pains? Who wouldn't get another job if they didn't have the means to feed all of their children? But what Jesus was telling His disciples in this passage is that if you are placing your physical well-being above your spiritual, eternal well-being, you are going to mess everything up. If your greatest priority is the condition of your life in this world --comfort, health, recognition from others, material wealth --you are on a collision course with eternal destruction.

Let me first explain to you that Jesus is not a God of chaos or crazy. Balance is important to Him --it's part of His character. He gave us these bodies, our families, our jobs, our spheres of influence, our bank accounts, our world itself! He gave us these things to enjoy! He's not looking for us to disparage or abuse the things He's given us. He doesn't want us to burn our cash or whittle our closets down to one plain black outfit just to show Him how much we love Him more. But there is no gift we should enjoy more than the Giver Himself.

Imagine if you spent weeks thinking of the perfect way to show someone how much you love them. It's not their birthday. They haven't done anything for you that was particularly noteworthy. You just want them to know how much they mean to you. You finally figure it out. Maybe you even save up for a few more weeks, or even, months. The day comes, and you present the person with the perfectly-wrapped, lovingly-selected, sacrificially-purchased item. They are thrilled!!! with it. They don't thank you. They don't even look at you. They don't tell anyone where they got it. It is all.about.the gift. You wanted them to love it. You wanted them to gush. You wanted this to be the best moment of their lives. But, Hey, what about our relationship?

Early on in life, I was faced with some disadvantages. Who isn't, right? But those disadvantages were pretty substantial for a kid my age. I didn't know how to mitigate the damage and hurt that came about as a result. I didn't feel as though I had anyone I could trust. It was a scary place. But Jesus kept calling me again and again. He provided people to talk to and safe places to rest. I heard His call and jumped right on it, right? Nope. I was going to fix things on my own. I was going to be better than the people who had hurt me. I was going to make them pay. I'd show them they couldn't keep me down. Not only that, but I was going to be better than all those around me who'd had the advantages I only wished I could have had! Talk about taking things too far! I wasn't just heading for a fender-bender; I was all in --ready to total that bus! Essentially, I was looking to prove I was someone, to prove my life was worth something. It was all about the gift. The gift was mine. I had the gift. With whatever sort of control I had over it, I was going to make it better than it was when it was given to me; I was going to make it better than anyone else's. Crazy!

What I failed to see was that Jesus had given me a life He wanted me to appreciate. Good, bad, or ugly --and by whose definition do we label those things anyway? --good, bad, or ugly, He gave me a life He wanted me to give back to Him each and every day, to wake up each morning and say, Here it is; what are we going to do with this today? He gave me the life He wanted me to trust Him with, to trust Him to heal it and make it new. He didn't want me struggling, scratching and clawing, trying to make it anything other than the beautiful tapestry He is so expert at weaving. But scratch and claw I did.

There isn't nearly enough room here for me to tell you all the ways I messed up. And I would seriously test your attention span. Suffice to say, I came perilously close to a total loss. I tried and tried and tried and tried again to make my life what I thought it should be, to receive what I believed I was due, to get what I thought everyone else had. I did everything I could to save my life and, but for the grace of God, almost lost it. It was Jesus who saved me from destruction. And He held out His hand, and He took those smoldering ruins, and urged me to give them up. By His mercy and by His grace.

We make plans. We think what we're doing is going to result in fun, status, rest, financial gain, happiness, control, revenge --whatever it is we think we need. I have a lack; I will fill that void. But we can't begin to know what it is we truly need until we see ourselves through the eyes of Truth. And only Truth can save us from ourselves.

What sort of life does Jesus have planned for you? Seek Him first and foremost to find out.