Friday, June 30, 2006

doing what is good

"In everything set them an example by doing what is good..." Titus 2:7

When I first started working as a waitress, at 17, I remember meeting a new manager that started shortly after I did. I still remember where I was standing, when he shook my hand and said, (and I quote) "Diane, you have the face of a model, too bad your body doesn't match." It was one of the few times I was speechless in my life.
I have never aspired to be a model, that is, until recently. I find myself praying and asking the Lord to do a work in my life so that I may model Christ, model change, model victory to women. I want Christ to be so manifested in my life that others will see that God is real and that He keeps His Word so that they will be encouraged to believe and trust Him.
A few years ago, I was praying on the way home from Higher Ground asking God to make Hebrews 4:12 real in my life so that it could be an example of that truth to the women. "For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12) The next morning God revealed the thoughts and intents of a prideful heart with Psalm 12:3; "May the LORD cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaks proud things, who have said, 'With our tongue we will prevail; our lips are our own; who is lord over us?'". oooohhhhhh, that stung. Then, just last fall when I was flying out to the west coast, I asked God for victory over my fears so that I could be an example of the truth and power of taking God at His word. I had more peace on the trip that any other in the last 27 years! I was able to come back and share the reality of Christ with the women at Higher Ground and we got a week of Victory Call devotionals out of that experience (see VC November 7-11, 2005 on our website www.americaskeswick.org). It is not because of me but because of Him that there is a story to tell.
Are we living life in such a way that others will catch the vision of life lived with Jesus Christ? When people watch us are they compelled to say, "He's real!"?
May we model Christ in everyday life not just at church. May we proclaim,"He's real!" in every way, with every breath.

Diane

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