I feel like an addict. I cannot recall if I have talked about this before on my blog. I feel addicted to getting to know Christ more. I can tell when I have not had it in a while. I know when I am starting to feel the urge. I realize in my life where I do not have Christ in my world, and I begin to get grumpy, complacent and worst of all, frustrated with little things. I am addicted to Jesus. I am more so addicted to learning about Him. I am addicted.
My addiction fix today started with a series by Andy Stanley. Ah yes, the usual Andy Stanley that I have talked about many, many times in my blogs. He had a series about a year ago called “The Legend of Joe Jacobson”. I love this series. It accounts Joseph (not Jesus’ dad Joseph but the coat of many colors Joseph) life story and how throughout everything there was a simple confidence that Joseph had. This simple confidence, regardless of how bad or good life was going, stemmed from the fact that God was with Joseph and Joseph lived accordingly. He lived as if he knew it.
The second fix came from the book of Joshua today. I was reading in Joshua, I actually started at chapter 1 and verse 1. I ended up reading a good portion of Joshua because the story is better than most movies I have seen. I found myself asking very simple questions. Why is it that Joshua was so revered and respected by the people of Israel. I am sure that most people could give you far better and more Biblically profound thoughts as to the person that Joshua was and how great of a leader he had become, but I think it is very simple. When Joshua walked around and talked, I think people took notice that God was with Joshua. Simply put. I think that there was something about Joshua that when he walked into a room, people took notice. I also think that they noticed more so the relationship and communication and community that he had with God, than they noticed him. I could be wrong, but I highly doubt it.
The Bible says if a man is going to boast, let him boast in this, that he knows God (1 Corinthians 1:31). This is a slight personal translation of that particular verse. The point is this, if I am going to boast, let me boast in one thing, that I know God. That means that I know God in the highs and the lows of my life. What I am trying to say is that Joseph and Joshua had something very important and monumental in common, they knew God. They communicated with Him on a regular basis. Even when it did not appear that God was with them they remained steadfast in Him.
I pray I could be such a man. If they ever wrote a book on my life, I would want them to say something that would pertain to me knowing God. But you cannot get to know him if you are not intentional about Him. I try to pursue God as if I were pursuing a relationship with a woman. Most of you reading this know what that means, and if we are being really honest with each other and ourselves, we do not do that, do we?
All of this random thought to say simply, that my name is Brent, I have an addiction, and I am not looking to be rid of it, ever.
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Food for thought: This may require a small bit of anxiety or frustration, but are you actively pursuing Christ the way you have actively pursued relationships in your life? If not, why?
leadershape 