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From
the February, 2000 edition of The Doulos monthly
newsletter
by
Joe Fitler
We
have a family ritual at our home that involves our 9 year old daughter cleaning
up her bedroom. After a while she will, with perfect confidence, pronounce her
room “clean”, only for us to find items (Beanie Baby, sock, book, etc.)
lying in plain view in the middle of the floor. But in a relative sense, to
her, the room is now clean.
This usually results in our having to “inspect” it two or three times to
see if it is clean by our definition, rather than hers. The problem is that
these stray items have been lying around so long that they have become a part
of her surroundings and therefore invisible. Which of course leads to our
having to patiently (hopefully) go back and point out specifics.
This
analogy convicts me to the core. It points out that there are very likely
things in my life that have been lying there so long that they have become
“part of the furniture” from my perspective, blending into invisibility.
But these things are painfully obvious to the Father. It’s tempting to define
our “cleanliness” in a relative sense - as compared to others, as compared
to the world. We must strive to focus on the Godly definition of cleanliness,
from His perspective. What does He
see?
We
at The Chapel in North Canton are at a pivotal point in the history of this
church. We have unlimited ministry and outreach opportunities before us,
opportunities to reach others and to share what we have in Jesus Christ. Like
Israel gazing across the Jordan, the promised land is so close at hand. But
like Israel, the journey is not without its setbacks, its disagreements, its
frustrations, sorrows and tears. Will we lose sight of the goal?
Yet
too, like Israel, for God’s blessing to occur we must individually reconsecrate
ourselves before the Lord before being so bold as to cross that river. Our
self-examination, repentance, our focus on God as the architect of all that is
happening is critical to our entering into a new facility and a new year with a
sense of humility, aware of the goal that God has placed before us. And that
goal is seeking the lost for Christ.
Test
me, O LORD, and try me, examine
my heart and my mind; for your love is ever before me, and I walk continually
in your truth.
Psalm
26:2-3
In
Him,
Joe
Fitler
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