I am Second Blog
60-Days-of-Second: Follow along as 15 bloggers journey through 4 readings each from the new book, Live Second: 365 Ways to Make Jesus First. Together they will blog through 60-Days-of-Second. Register to follow at www.iamsecond.com/blog. Get the “Live Second” book in stores December 9.
Day 16 by Matt Sanner
“We cannot erase our wrongs or wipe out their effects on others. We must simply trust and hope in God for forgiveness.” Live Second, 19.
I don’t remember what the argument was about. All I know is that the debate came to a complete stop when my wife said those three little words I love to hear: “You are right.”
I love being right.
I have a PhD in Self-Righteousness. I’m very, very good at justifying my own behavior, my own decisions, and my own priorities. That’s because I’m pretty much always right…at least that’s what I tell myself in the deepest part of my mind. After all, why would I ever knowingly make a decision that was wrong?
You know what I hate? I hate being wrong.
But occasionally it happens. In fact it happened once as recently as a few months ago.
Alright, alright. It happens daily. Actually I’m lucky to take a few consecutive breaths without having an improper thought or reaction: a quick glance (“hello Lady in Red”), a snarky reaction to someone (“it’s the thin pedal on the right, idiot!”), a condemnation of someone (“I’m so glad I make better choices than that person”), or saying something stupid (“it’s not the jeans, it’s your…”).
“Wrong” is pretty much my state of being.
So how can it be that, when confronted with my wrongness, I try so hard to excuse my behavior?
King David wasn’t confronted with some harmless little mishap. He had committed adultery, then had the woman’s husband killed in battle. When the prophet Nathan called him out, David could have had him executed on the spot. How dare you tell your king that he is wrong?!
But David simply said, “You are right. I am wrong. I have sinned.”
He broke. He repented. He ran back to God, throwing himself on His mercy.
He gave up his right to be right.
Choosing to surrender ourselves to God is tough. I heard an analogy about surrendering our wills, comparing it to floating on your back in the water. In one sense you have to relax and let the water hold you up. In another sense, you have to actively throw your body back into that floating position and resist the urge to kick and squirm. It’s a bizarre kind of active-passivity.
We have to actively choose to yield. As for me, I have to do that many times per day, all day long. I have to give up my right to be right, forget protecting my reputation, and my record of right-ness, and admit how flawed and broken I am.
When my wife tells me I’m being too hard on my son, or my brother tells me that my sarcasm is making it difficult to be honest with me, or my daughter tells me to put down my smartphone and pay attention to her, I’m at a crossroads. I can go on red alert and put the shields up, carefully explaining all the “reasons” for my actions, or I can simply bow my head and tell them those three words: “You are right.”
On the up-side, when I do this there is a huge sense of relief. I don’t have to pretend any more. Maintaining my image of perfection is exhausting, and nobody but me was buying it anyway!
I can be accused of many things…and my accusers are probably right. I can spend energy trying to prove them wrong. Or I can relax, because God already knows the truth about me. And He loves me anyway.
Lord, help me to be slow to defend, and quick to acknowledge when I am wrong. Help me to shrug off my sense of my own goodness, to readily and humbly admit my sin, and to turn to You for forgiveness. And help me later this morning, when I need to do it again. And again, and again.
#IAScaught
Check out Matt Sanner’s regular blog at www.MattSalad.com. Head and heart, tossed together and served up fresh. @themattsanner
Next for the 60-Days-of-Second: Day 17- “Saved Failure” by Zach Emerson
60-Days-of-Second: Follow along as 15 bloggers journey through 4 readings each from the new book, Live Second: 365 Ways to Make Jesus First. Together they will blog through 60-Days-of-Second. Register to follow at www.iamsecond.com/blog. Get the “Live Second” book in stores December 9.
Day 15 by Matt Sanner
“No matter how tough life gets or how dreary the day becomes, we can find courage in the fact that God will come through in the end” –Live Second, 18.
I love to fish. More precisely, I love to catch fish.
People know this about me, and they sometimes remark about how much patience it takes to be good at fishing. But here’s a secret about fishing: if you need patience, you’re doing it wrong. You’re either in the wrong spot, using the wrong technique, or fishing at the wrong time.
Though I love to fish, I am not patient.
God can be very frustrating at times because of that. I have my sense of timing, and my plan, and it often varies widely from His plan.
God promised David that his offspring would have a kingdom that never ended. But it would be 1000 years between that promise to David and the arrival of Jesus, the Promised One. It can take a lot of patience to wait for God. 1000 years is longer than I’m usually willing to wait. I prefer to give God until close-of-business tomorrow at the outside.
Yes, I need to pray more boldly (see Feeble Prayers to a Feeble God). But I guess I should be patient and allow Him to work according to His timetable.
That’s painful when I’m praying for a friend who needs a job NOW. Or when I’m praying for God to change the heart of a loved one away from addiction and back toward Him. Or when I’m asking Him to heal a broken marriage. Or praying for a child who is going through a tough time. Each day that goes by has a story of hurt, and a desired outcome that is unmet.
I am not patient. And all the trite and tired phrases like “all in God’s timing”, “God’s will be done”, or “all things work together for good” don’t help. They may be true, but that doesn’t make me more patient.
I am not patient. And I’m not even going to try to wait patiently. I’m going to wait reluctantly. I don’t want to fake it by putting on a happy face and pretending that it’s all OK. I’m going to let my heart ache, and let my insides hurt as I go to Him over and over with my requests.
But I will keep going to Him. I know that He is good, and I trust that. I know that He keeps His promises. I know that He has a plan that is beyond awesome. I know HIM. I trust HIM. Sometimes I don’t like His timing, but I love HIM.
Maybe He wants me to be patient. I’m not sure. But I know that He wants me to continue to seek Him.
Lord, You know what I’m asking, and You know when I want it. I don’t want to wait. It hurts. I’m asking for good things. I don’t understand Your plan, and I don’t like waiting. But I love You and trust You. Please hurry. And until You answer, please hold my hand so that in my impatience, I’m not waiting alone.
#IASforever
Check out Matt Sanner’s regular blog at www.MattSalad.com. Head and heart, tossed together and served up fresh. @themattsanner
Next for the 60-Days-of-Second: Day 15- “Three Little Words” by Matt Sanner
60-Days-of-Second: Follow along as 15 bloggers journey through 4 readings each from the new book, Live Second: 365 Ways to Make Jesus First. Together they will blog through 60-Days-of-Second. Register to follow at www.iamsecond.com/blog. Get the “Live Second” book in stores December 9.
Day 14 by Matt Sanner
“God does not use our measurements. He does not value beauty above humility. He does not measure wit and charisma above faith and integrity.” –Live Second, 17.
I make judgment calls all day long. I decide how to handle business strategy, how to discipline my kids, how to prioritize our home budget. I choose how to invest my time, and my money.
Some decisions are easy; “No, my darling daughter, you may not have a Snicker’s bar for breakfast.” Some are tougher, like picking the right words in a delicate and difficult conversation with a friend.
The most difficult judgments involve people. I don’t like it, but to be honest I frequently rely on first impressions and external appearances to make decisions about people. And that’s when I fail as a judge.
I work for a company that prides itself on information-based decision-making. Show me the data! The more data, the better! Dig through millions of records in a database, aggregate the information, and put it in a PowerPoint slideshow with pretty graphs that clearly show the correct path we should take.
Unfortunately, when it comes to people, there is no code we can run to tell us what is going on inside a person’s heart or head. At a glance, we see only the outside. So when I make a snap judgment about someone, I’m operating with less than all the data, and frequently that results in impressions that are flat-out wrong.
God told Samuel to anoint a king. He told the prophet to go to the household of Jesse, and promised to tell Samuel whom to choose.
When Samuel walked in the door, he was immediately impressed by the oldest brother. Tall, good-looking, strong…everything that seemed important in a king. He thought to himself, “this must be the one.”
And Samuel got it wrong. He missed the call.
What I love about this is that Samuel was a prophet who had actual conversations with God, and he STILL mis-judged. That is so encouraging to me.
Jesse brought seven brothers, one after another, in front of Samuel. Each time, God said, “nope…not him.” Confused, Samuel asked if that was everyone. Jesse answered, “There is still the youngest. He is tending sheep.” And that was David. The little brother. The smelly shepherd. And God said, “That’s the one!” David was the king God had chosen…a man that the Bible says was “a man after God’s own heart”.
God looks past the external and knows the heart.
I see height, weight, gender, skin color, accent, complexion, fashion, vocabulary. I put people in boxes based on what I see, even though there is so much more to a person. God sees heart, goals, fears, dreams, motives. He sees the whole person.
When Samuel was wrong about David’s oldest brother, he listened to what God said about him, and trusted His judgment. That’s what I want to do…I want to repent of my vision that sees the external. I want to second-guess my decision-making skills when it comes to people, and learn how to see people the way He does.
It’s unlikely that He will speak to me in an audible voice and tell me what to really think about someone. So then what? I think, in that case, the jury has to remain out. I know that my judgment is uninformed, and I don’t have the extra information I need, since I can’t peer into their souls the way God does. So, the only thing I can do is to wait. Resist the urge to “figure out” the person, and treat them the way I know God wants me to. (The word “unconditional” comes to mind.)
Lord, forgive my judgments, and help me to see people with Your perspective, and help me to love them no matter what.
#IASking
Check out Matt Sanner’s regular blog at www.MattSalad.com. Head and heart, tossed together and served up fresh. @themattsanner
Next for the 60-Days-of-Second: Day 14- “Patience….Right now” by Matt Sanner
60-Days-of-Second: Follow along as 15 bloggers journey through 4 readings each from the new book, Live Second: 365 Ways to Make Jesus First. Together they will blog through 60-Days-of-Second. Register to follow at www.iamsecond.com/blog. Get the “Live Second” book in stores December 9.
Day 13 by Matt Sanner
“Abraham insisted God maintain his justice and preserve his people. He demanded that God act like God. Can we say the same about our own interactions with God?” –Live Second, 15.
If I’m honest, sometimes when I pray I feel like God probably doesn’t hear, won’t answer, or doesn’t care. In my mind, He’s far away, too busy running the universe to worry about me and my petty little concerns. When I think like this, my prayers are wimpy, wishy-washy, and full of enough disclaimers to make any attorney proud:
“Dear God: In case You get this, amidst Your very busy schedule, I’m really kinda hoping that You might consider thinking about the possibility of maybe making my grandmother feel better. If You don’t, I understand. She’s old and weak and I realize that sometimes You let people get even more sick. So if she gets worse, I understand. I just thought I’d ask, just in case. Amen.”
What a lame prayer!
When I pray like this, it’s almost like I don’t want God to look bad in case the prayers aren’t answered. “Don’t worry God, I’ll pray a prayer so safe that even if You don’t answer the way I want, You won’t look powerless.” As if I can do anything to protect His reputation. Do I forget that God created stars and planets and life simply by speaking? What kind of feeble God do I think I serve?
We don’t see miracles happen very often in day-to-day life. Part of me wonders if that’s because we’re not asking for the miraculous…we ask for what is safe. No wonder we don’t see miracles.
When my grandmother “GG” (short for great-grandmom) was really sick, my six-year-old daughter was praying for her. She prayed like this: “God, please make GG feel better soon. Actually, tomorrow. Amen.” I love that. She gets it! Why don’t I pray like that?
In Genesis 18, Abraham stands face-to-face with the Lord, and asks Him not to destroy the town of Sodom (where his nephew lived). He is humble, saying “though I am but dust and ashes…” But then he actually negotiates with the Lord! He makes his initial “bid”, asking God to spare Sodom if there are 50 righteous people. Then he continues haggling like a nomad at the marketplace: “How about 45? What about 40? 30? 20? 10? Sold!” He deals with the Lord like he would any other merchant of his day.
Abraham understood two things: his relationship with God and God’s character. In James 2:23, the Bible says that Abraham had a reputation of being “God’s friend”. He had a connection with God that allowed for this kind of personal interaction. He also understood God’s character. Abraham knows God is just and claims that justice is a reason to spare the city on behalf of even 10 righteous folks found there. Abraham’s prayer is in tune with God’s nature.
I want that. I want to pray the way Abraham did.
I want to remember who I am in relationship to God. In Galatians 4:4-7, the Bible says that as a follower of Jesus, I am called God’s child. How much more intimate is the connection between parent and child than between friends?
And I want to pray in line with God’s character. I might not know what God’s specific will is for any given situation, but I can know Who He is from what the Bible teaches me about Him.
I’m a little nervous that I’ll start to sound a bit crazy in my prayers, but I think it’s worth a try. What if I start asking the Lord to convict the heart of someone who totally rejects the notion that God exists? That’s in line with what He wants! Why can’t I pray for a miraculous healing for a cancer-stricken friend? Sure, God allows sickness, but it’s not the way He originally intended life to be, so why not ask for a miracle?
Am I afraid of disappointment? Yes. What if I ask boldly and His answer is still “no”? I think that would hurt. Then I’d have to fall back on my relationship with Him and my trust in His character. (Oh yeah, and the fact that He has a plan that I don’t know about.) But if I don’t take a chance, the alternative is to stick with safe, mamby-pamby prayers that treat God like He’s unable to help, or worse, non-existent.
So is there risk? Yes. But the reward to praying with boldness might mean I get to start seeing Him work in powerful or even miraculous ways I haven’t seen before. And that is worth it!
#IASwillyoureally
Check out Matt Sanner’s regular blog at www.MattSalad.com. Head and heart, tossed together and served up fresh. @themattsanner
Next for the 60-Days-of-Second: Day 14- “Here Comes the Judge” by Matt Sanner
60-Days-of-Second: Follow along as 15 bloggers journey through 4 readings each from the new book, Live Second: 365 Ways to Make Jesus First. Together they will blog through 60-Days-of-Second. Register to follow at www.iamsecond.com/blog. Get the “Live Second” book in stores December 9.
Day 12 by Chad Rigney
“Everyone has those moments when God asks, ‘Am I still First?’ What will you say when that moment comes?” –Live Second, 14.
Within the first 5mins of my day I touch some kind of technology. Usually the last thing I touch before I go to bed is also the first thing I touch in the morning. Life without technology (and more specifically, my iPhone) would be challenging. Usually, whatever you and I think about before we go to bed and when we rise takes priority. I wish I could say that the sole reason for me picking up my phone is to set my alarm for the morning. Unfortunately, more often than not, this isn’t the case. I’m usually checking my notifications, perusing the Facebook newsfeed or checking my email. What does this say about my priorities? It says a few things. It says I’m looking for a few “likes” to make me feel better about myself, I can’t leave “work” at the office, and I’m probably ignoring my wife laying next to me.
In my previous post I talked about the test that Abraham had to take with his son Isaac. It’s a test we take too. The question is, Is Jesus first? In Genesis 22 Abraham passes the test. It says that Abraham did not withhold his son (Gen 22:12). Abraham was able to offer Isaac with hands wide open, not with clinched fist.
What is it in your life that you need to put down? As crazy as it may sound I need to learn to put my phone down! At times, I’m like a dog responding to a whistle when I hear a notification on my phone. It takes everything inside of me not to move. I must learn to let go. Better yet, turn it off!
What is it for you? Maybe it’s technology like me. Perhaps you need put down the TV remote, close the laptop, or log off. It could be your car, your house, your degree, your portfolio, your desire for the first string, your desire for the first chair, your desire to be in top 10% of your class. None of these things are wrong in and of themselves. The problem is when we begin to hold on to these things with an iron fist. When this happens these things become first in our lives. God wants us to be like Abraham. He wants us to let go and put it down. Sometimes literally.
Check out Chad Rigney’s regular blog at www.chadrigney.com where he writes about discipleship, family, and leadership.
Next for the 60-Days-of-Second: Day 13- “Feeble Prayers to a Feeble God” by Matt Sanner
60-Days-of-Second: Follow along as 15 bloggers journey through 4 readings each from the new book, Live Second: 365 Ways to Make Jesus First. Together they will blog through 60-Days-of-Second. Register to follow at www.iamsecond.com/blog. Get the “Live Second” book in stores December 9.
Day 11 by Chad Rigney
“Either we and everything we hold dear take second place to Jesus, or we stop pretending that he is our God” –Live Second, 13.
I’m not a test-taker. During my school years I dreaded any quiz or test that was aimed at my ability to retain the things that should have sank deep. Tests reveal what is actually there. I’ve had my share of passing some tests and failing a few. However, written tests have no comparison to the tests of life. I’ve had those too. There have been times in my life where I’ve had to prove what was actually there. I’ve been tested in my character, integrity, purity, faith, and the list goes on and on. Some I’ve passed and others I’ve failed. Whatever the outcome of the tests of life there is always a common denominator: every test affirms what is true or reveals what is in error.
One thing I’ve learned about God is that he likes to test you at your core. And this is for our good. This was true of Abraham of the Bible. Abraham’s child of promise, Isaac was his greatest treasure and God wanted to test Abraham on what was Abraham’s priority in life. God asks Abraham to sacrifice his only son. Talk about a test! God knew that Abraham would have a tendency to put his son before Him. When it comes to following God he wants to be first. And when Jesus came on the scene his demands were the same. He said this: “If you want to be my disciple, you must hate everyone else by comparison–your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters–yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple. (Luke 14:26) God wants to take priority in your life. Nothing else. Not family, not career, not even your life.
We all have things that creep in our lives that scream for our attention and affection. Have you ever wondered how to identify what those things are? An easy way to determine what is at the center of your life is to ask this question: What do I dream about? I’m not necessarily talking about what you dream in your sleep, but the things you daydream about. The things that are constantly on your mind. It could be money, politics, kids, a romantic relationship, your job, possessions. All you have to do is look at someone’s social media page to see what they dream about. Many times it’s the things that are always on their mind that make their way to their page.
There’s no doubt that Abraham dreamed about his son Isaac. God promised he would have a son and Abraham waited years until he was born. I bet Abraham dreamed about Isaac long before he was even conceived. And once Isaac came on the scene God wanted to test Abraham dreams and priorities.
God wants to test your priorities too. Jesus says it’s a daily test (Luke 9:23) and there’s only one question: Is Jesus first?
Check out Chad Rigney’s regular blog at www.chadrigney.com where he writes about discipleship, family, and leadership.
Next for the 60-Days-of-Second: Day 12- “Put it Down” by Chad Rigney
60-Days-of-Second: Follow along as 15 bloggers journey through 4 readings each from the new book, Live Second: 365 Ways to Make Jesus First. Together they will blog through 60-Days-of-Second. Register to follow at www.iamsecond.com/blog. Get the “Live Second” book in stores December 9.
Day 10 by Chad Rigney
“Sometimes we forget that the same God who created the universe, the same God who wrote the laws of physics and who sent his Son to die on a cross, is the same God who still works and moves in this world” –Live Second, 12.
I grew up going to church. From the time I was an infant I’ve been told how much God loves me and that he has a plan for my life. I believed this, but after awhile it became like white noise. It was hard to see how God was working in my life. Having grown up an avid “rule follower”, I couldn’t see clearly how God was working in my life. I often thought as a teenager, “if only I were more rebellious, then I could see the difference he made in my life!” I became like Sarah in Genesis 21, forgetting that God made a promise to have a plan for my life. Sarah knew God had promised a son, but after years of waiting and the odds agains her, she began to doubt. I imagine just like in my case, the promise of God became a little like white noise.
And then it happened.
After years of waiting, after sinning and failing miserably at trying to carry out her own plan, Sarah is being woken up in the middle of the night with the sounds of a newborn baby’s cry. She is experiencing the joys of motherhood, something she once thought was just an unfulfilled promise. God had come through. He remained faithful and did what he said he was going to do. It’s easy for us to read the Bible today and marvel at God and the amazing things he did in the lives of the people of that day and forget that he is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Even when life seems like white noise and you are not sure what to do, God has a plan. The same God that was at work in Sarah’s life is at work in mine and in yours!
Thank you God that even though I fail, You are faithful. Though it may not be in my timing, You have a plan and purpose for my life that is greater than anything I could do on my own. Thank you that you had a plan for Sarah’s life and also that you have a plan for mine. Help me to hear you in the white noise.
Check out Chad Rigney’s regular blog at www.chadrigney.com where he writes about discipleship, family, and leadership.
Next for the 60-Days-of-Second: Day 11- “The Test” by Chad Rigney
60-Days-of-Second: Follow along as 15 bloggers journey through 4 readings each from the new book, Live Second: 365 Ways to Make Jesus First. Together they will blog through 60-Days-of-Second. Register to follow at www.iamsecond.com/blog. Get the “Live Second” book in stores December 9.
Day 9 by Chad Rigney
“It is not what we do but whom we trust that makes all the difference” –Live Second, 11.
We like to think we have “it” in us. If only we had more time to work on “it” we’d be doin’ alright. We believe all “it” it takes is more time, more practice, more intentionality and “it” will begin to shine more brightly. We know “it” exists because we see “it” all around us. We experience “it” everyday we walk this earth.
What if I told you “it” wasn’t enough? By “it” I mean, what we believe as good. We all think we can do better and that we have what it takes to measure up. Whether if it’s to be a better husband/wife, raising children, or being a better person, we believe we have “it” in us to do these things better. The problem is that “it” isn’t good enough.
Our definition of goodness needs to change. The Bible says that we as humans, when given a choice between life through obedience and death through disobedience, will disobey (Rom 3:23). We see this in the first humans; Adam and Eve. They were given a choice. Adam chose selfishly and rejected what God had commanded. And we are no better. We chose selfishly too. The result of disobedience is death. It’s not that God desires this for us, it’s that his goodness and righteousness requires it. And all it takes is one mistake.
I don’t consider myself a big germaphobe but if I have a large class of Coke and someone spits in my cup, game over! There’s no way I’ll drink it. Doesn’t matter how little the spit may be. The drink is now ruined. Even though the germs may be small in comparison to the 32oz drink, it’s contaminated nonetheless. And there is no way of turning it back. The same is true with our sin. We’ve all been infected with the sin curse and there’s nothing we can do to remove it.
Enter Jesus.
Jesus is “it.” He fixes “it.”
The truth is that we can’t do “it”, but the good news is that Jesus DID “it.” The first step in living a life of second is to recognize that Jesus is “it.” He’s only “it.” I will not be able to do “it” without Him.
I won’t be able to have “it” until I recognize that my “it” isn’t enough. I can’t change “it.” I need Jesus to change “it” for me. And so do you.
Live second.
Check out Chad Rigney’s regular blog at www.chadrigney.com where he writes about discipleship, family, and leadership.
Next for the 60-Days-of-Second:
Day 10- “White Noise” by Chad Rigney
60-Days-of-Second: Follow along as 15 bloggers journey through 4 readings each from the new book, Live Second: 365 Ways to Make Jesus First. Together they will blog through 60-Days-of-Second. Register to follow at www.iamsecond.com/blog. Get the “Live Second” book in stores December 9.
Day 8 by Jon Cook
“Too often we hide our needs or emotions from God” –Live Second, 10.
Childless…
Over the years as a pastor and as a friend, I have walked with multiple couples through the pure darkness of infertility. I have cried with them and hurt with them and asked God why as doctors and treatment and life changes and so much more have been attempted in the hope that two thin lines crisscrossing on a test will be the start of something new.
Sometimes the blessing of a child comes… but for many of these friends, the reality remains the same. And the tears still come. And the pain still hurts. And the question of why is louder than ever. It’s messy and so personal. It’s left me wondering why myself because in the end, there really isn’t a great answer. As a friend and as a follower of Jesus, that’s a tough place to be.
I hear those same cries and the tears and the pain and pure agony of a father’s heart trapped in a childless man when I read this story about Abraham wanting his own child. At what point did Abraham wonder if God would actually follow through on His promise of a son. “God, you promised me a son… now what?”
God did eventually give Abraham a son but part of Abraham’s struggle along his journey was that he pushed his own agenda above God’s. You won’t give me a kid now? Fine. I’ll do it myself. Abraham’s struggle was in wanting a child but for a lot of us, that same type of struggle comes in other ways.
That job you’ve been waiting for and still haven’t gotten. That relationship that’s still broken and a mess. That ache in your heart from the apology that’s never gonna come. It hurts. And you beg and cry and ask God to do something, to fix it but things remain the same… and you start to wonder if maybe you could do better than God.
At what point am I putting my own desires over the plan that a truly loving and giving God has in store for me? Am I putting my wants before what God wants for me and from me? Living second today is giving God the benefit of the doubt, that maybe what I want and what is best for me are two different things.
And it’s okay to be honest with Him about it. He can handle my questions, even the big, hairy ones. He can handle my words, as raw and real as they might be. He wants me to be honest and upfront with Him because if anyone can handle it, He can.
The point of living second isn’t to get what I want; the point is that sometimes I’m called to sacrifice my own greatest desires in hope that a good and loving God has something better in store for me. His timing may not always match up with mine, I may even hate the answers that come, but I can trust in a God who knows me best. What I want may not be what I need but I can be honest with God about how I feel.
Check out Jon Cook’s regular blog at writetojoncook.me where he writes about ministry leadership, creativity, and the Church in culture. Tell Jon what you think below.
Next for the 60-Days-of-Second:
Day 9- ”When ‘it’ isn’t enough” by Chad Rigney
60-Days-of-Second: Follow along as 15 bloggers journey through 4 readings each from the new book, Live Second: 365 Ways to Make Jesus First. Together they will blog through 60-Days-of-Second. Register to follow at www.iamsecond.com/blog. Get the “Live Second” book in stores December 9.
Day 7 by Jon Cook
“God was not born through our imagination, but we through his.” –Live Second, 8.
Cosmos…
It doesn’t take long to realize that our little neighborhood called Earth is a very small part of the universe. A quick glance through the facts about the cosmos confirms that we are small and the universe is very, very large. When our own sun is the little kid on the block, that’s when you know it’s not all about you.
The crazy thing is that sometimes I think it is all about me. I give into the lie that my schedule and deadlines and opinions and needs trump so many of the good things in life. I begin to think that what I want is more important than other relationships, ministry, justice, and even time with my Creator.
I can get so engrossed with what I feel is important as I walk inside at night under the blanket of stars that I don’t stop to look up and to be amazed. The same God who made all of the stars and planets and keeps them from crashing together is the same God who wants to be the biggest part of my life and my everyday agenda. That is what causes me to worship in wonder.
Wonder is my response to who God is and what He’s done. Why would a God who made all of this and keeps all of it in perfect unison want anything to do with a simple human? He made all of this and I’m shocked that I get to even be on His radar. Not only am I on His mind but the words of David in Psalm 8 also remind me that God puts value and worth in me. He sees in me something worthy of His attention and the value in me is what He can do through me.
Living second is about remembering it’s not about me. I’m just renting this space here on earth and there is a God in heaven that chooses to have a relationship with me. I get to be a part of this; I get to listen for the voice of God and talk with Him about my life. I get to be a part of His creation and live and breathe and move and be in community with others. And all of this happens because of what He allows to be.
Living second is about being in wonder. Living second is about remembering it’s not about me. I need to take some time to look at the stars tonight and to wonder. The Creator of the universe wants to be the most important part of me and I get to live second.
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Next for the 60-Days-of-Second:
Day 8- “Childless” by Jon Cook
