A few days

It's been a few days since I've actually posted something here on the blog.  You may have noticed.  You may not have noticed.  Either way, now you know…I haven't written much.

And no, this isn't a "I'm sorry I haven't posted, I promise to do better" post.  I'm not sorry I haven't posted.  I have been pretty intellectually lazy the past few days, a little spiritually lazy too.  So, no, I'm not sorry I haven't posted.  Only rarely should I waste your time with having nothing to say and a lot of free blog space to say it in, so there shouldn't be posts when I'm like that.

The problem is being like that.  It's not a good habit.  The intellectual and spiritual laziness thing.  It's destructive to myself, harmful to my family, and less than helpful to my church.  True, I still went to work, did the things I was supposed to do, but I did it with perhaps a bit too much of a routine attitude.

As a result of what was going on inside my own heart and mind, what I was able to produce was underwhelming.  Blog posts didn't roll.  Sermons didn't get finished because, well, they were awful.  It's not that I sinned by writing lousy half-sermons or not blogging.  The sin was internal.  The results, the evidence, is external.

This is largely what Matthew 5:21-48 is about.  The Law is based on the external evidence, but the commands to follow Christ are based on the heart, the internal attitude of the people that follow Him.  The difficulties in our lives, our marriages, and our churches are usually more based on our hearts being off-centered than our external actions.  True, we try to dress up the actions, we criticize the actions of others, but down in, it's the heart that matters.

This week, I need to make sure my heart is growing in being more right with God.

A word of caution, though: I can't see your heart.  You can't see mine.  Don't act in ways that evidence a sinful heart and then act like the actions don't reflect what is inside.  You behavior evidences your beliefs.  And yes, sometimes you and I need to do specific unnecessary actions to demonstrate what is in our hearts.  It's true in your romantic relationships, it's true in your friendships and families, and it's true at church.  Another day we'll address why it is that you and I have to do things we wouldn't normally do just for the sake of others.  But read Philippians 2:5-11 to get ready for it.

Meanwhile, I won't promise more blog posts.  I will tell you: I don't want to be back where I can't really write well again.  I will do better inside, and hopefully you'll see the evidence of it here on the outside.

 

Doug