BLUE-PRINT or BRUSH/PAINT/CANVAS...
Erwin McManus writes in "Chasing Daylight" that maybe our focus shouldn't be so much on "What is God's will for my life?" than "How can I give my life to fulfill God's will?" This birthed in me some new thoughts, new questions, new insights.
Many books have been written that make a distinction between God's "allowable" will and His "perfect" will. The object of every Christian's life is to try and find God's perfect will for his/her life. God's "allowable" will is His portrayed as his second best for you. The quest for the Christian is then to seek for God's perfect will/ plan for His life. The metaphor that is used is that of a blue-print. I think that it comes from good intention and a genuine longing to please God. I do however think, that this line of thinking has bad consequences - that we make the will of God so complicated that most Christians live with the "guilt" that they do not take the time and effort to discover God's will. We abdicate our responsibility, privilede and opportunity to seek God's Kingdom in our lives. Our thoughts and words about God plays out in how we live life. The idea of God's perfect will then feels like something that is an absolute, and that we merely are chess pieces that is moved. It portrays a picture of entrapment more than of freedom.
I think that when God gives us the gift of life, it comes with a brush, paint and a canvass. God gives us the freedom to choose how to paint our lives, and it will please Him if our heart is then to seek how we can live out his kingdom in our choices. We have made so much of right and wrong, without considering what is good or bad, or even good and better?
Say for example you are in your final year of school and you have to decide what occupation to choose. In BLUE-PRINT fashion, you will then ask what does God want you to become? Does He want me to become a dentist or a teacher? In this line of thinking there is just one right answer, equal to God's perfect will for my life....
In CANVAS fashion, maybe it will not so much be a question of what is right or what is wrong for my life. I think you can choose either and then go on a journey of discovery as to how I can fulfill God's will through the choices I make. The questions now are just as important: what is the motivation behind my decision? Is it for the promise of riches, status, etc? And furthermore - when it comes to my passions, my talents, my skills - what would be a better fit for me?
Living the Kingdom gives me freedom to make my own choices, but also offers me the opportunity to engage my life in establishing the Kingdom - regardless of where I am...
And now, may we learn to paint....
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- Now, discover your strengths - Marcus Buckingham & Donald O Clifton
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- Everything must change - Brian Mclaren
- "Jesus today" - Albert Nolan
- "The secret message of Jesus - Brian Mclaren
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- JaCqUeS BoRnMaN
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7 comments:
I like the distinction between canvas and blue-print. I suppose especially relevant for you right now!
Great post and you should start writing a book on this subject. I can relate with what you said because when I graduated college in 93 with a degree in Geology, I knew that it was what I wanted to do. SO I did it and still do. However, I'm starting to realize the God's will for my life is something else that I am slowly being equipped for. It's exciting to see things happen and know that there is no explanation other than it is a God Thing because it is His will for my like. I think Geology was the secondary will. But now, writing is the primary. Thanks Bro!
One other thing.... Praise God for spell-check. I wish the comment box had it.
The process of discovering God's will is not a text book approach. We have the advantage or disadvantage of seeing how others did it from the past and we only see responses and then make deductions which ar saddly lacking at best. Then our preachers try to make it easy for us to understnad and give us such nice and pretty formulas based on simplistic foundational theology....phew!
In Proverbs parents are instructed to raise children according to their @bent@ and in Ec we ar etold that God has wriiten his purpose in our hearts..in the same chapter where we read about a time to live, die etc....
This could mean that the will is hidden in our identity rather than in what we have t accomplish or not,.Interseting taht Jesus ministered from the basis of his ientity (I am the bread etc...) rather than a posiiton of authority...
Ther's a lot more to think about me thinks but it is not a frmula rather a life to lived out in connection with reality of who we are and whom we are becoming....chew on this a little....
Nice!! Ek voel egter partykeer my lewe is n blueprint. Dis bietjie scary. Dankie tog daar's vryheid in X'tus!!!! Ek het egter lank gevat om dit te glo sonder om skuldig te voel!!!!
Bill makes a good point that life is to be lived out. That's exactly what God intended when He created us: He gave us an adventure to live! We are always on the move, growing in His word, and listening to His council. I have to believe that as teh CHristian grows in faith, God equips them to become what He wrote upon their hearts when he created them. I think we often get sidetracked on things that we thought we were meant to do only to find out later that God had other plans. When He calls us to a job, He doesn't take back the calling. Even if we ignore it, His will shall be done the easy way or the hard way. Cheers!
Hi Jacques
Keep on writing bro .... Just wanted to ad something - not much canvassing ... but take this as a blueprint for what you are busy with .... bless ya
The Ten Deadly Sins of Preaching
John Ortberg’s insights from the National Pastors Convention
Monday was a great day to leave Chicago. The wind-chill was thirty degrees below zero and the Bears had just lost the Super Bowl. This week I’m in sunny San Diego for the National Pastors Convention. Although the main sessions don’t start until later today, on Tuesday I attended a five hour “Critical Concerns” course on preaching.
John Ortberg, pastor of Menlo Park Presbyterian Church in Menlo Park, CA, and the author of numerous books with really long titles, presented about preparing the soul to preach. His focus was not simply getting spiritually juiced for Sunday morning, but rather becoming the kind of person that preaching flows out of that pleases God. It was really about character formation.
Part of Ortberg’s discussion included a list of the ten deadly sins of preaching. (John said he originally intended to create a list of seven deadly sins, but preaching offered so many temptations that he had to expand the list.)
1. The temptation to be inauthentic
We want to present an image to others that makes us appear more holy, intelligent, or godly than we actually are. In the end this is a foolish pursuit because the truth of who we are will always leak out.
2. The temptation to live for recognition
After finishing a sermon the question that runs through most of our minds is, did they like it? But we need to learn to root our identity in something other than applause. Ortberg cited Dallas Willard’s ability to present his material and give no thought to people’s reactions. He’s like a child who releases a helium balloon. He says what God’s given him to say, and simply lets it go.
3. The temptation to live in fear
What if I fail? That question plagues many pastors. But there is a difference between failing at something and being a failure. You are not a failure. Again, our identity must been hidden in Christ and not our accomplishments.
4. The temptation to compare
With the radio, television, and the internet our generation faces this temptation more than any previous generation. Our culture of celebrity pastors causes us to compare ourselves to others. This does nothing good for the soul.
5. The temptation to exaggerate
This seems closely linked to temptation number one. Overstating facts is how we often try to manage our image and appear better than we are. John also linked this to plagiarism—passing someone else’s story, sermon, or idea off as our own to win approval.
6. The temptation to feel chronically inadequate
(I couldn’t write fast enough to take notes on this point. Does that make me an inadequate blogger?)
7. The temptation of pride
Having people listen to you give a monologue every week can make you prideful. The antidote? A wife. (Ortberg’s joke, not mine.)
8. The temptation to manipulate
Having a pulpit and speaking the words of God might give some a power rush. We mustn’t use our position to manipulate people into doing what we want them to do.
9. The temptation of envy
This seems related to number four, the temptation to compare. But envy carries the nuance of desire and ambition. We not only compare ourselves to another preacher, but we seek to achieve what they have. Such selfish motivations will undermine our spiritual health.
10. The temptation of anger
John read this quote from Henri Nouwen that says it all:
Anger in particular seems close to a professional vice in the contemporary ministry. Pastors are angry at their leaders for not leading and at their followers for not following. They are angry at those who do not come to church for not coming and angry at those who do come for coming without enthusiasm. They are angry at their families, who make them feel guilty, and angry at themselves for not being who they want to be. This is not an open, blatant, roaring anger, but an anger hidden behind the smooth word, the smiling face, and the polite handshake. It is a frozen anger, an anger which settles into a biting resentment and slowly paralyzes a generous heart. If there is anything that makes the ministry look grim and dull, it is this dark, insidious anger in the servants of Christ.
Keep cool and stay FREE from the demands and expectations of everyone ...... but CHRIST first. May He paint your life ...
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