I was at a convenience store getting gas for my vehicle. The convenience store is called "Gitty-Up-N-Go." That is kind of a cool name for a place to gas up. While I was there, a lady came out of the store and started gassing up her vehicle on the other side of the pump from where I was. The idea hit me that I had never told a person that I did not know "Jesus loves you" at a gas pump before. I decided that would make a good "first."
Then it started to feel a bit weird. For one thing, I could not see her because the gas pump was between us. Also, she had on a nice dress with a floppy, flowery hat. It seemed to be a bit odd to poke my head around the gas pump and say, "Jesus loves you." I thought I might scare the sweet lady and knock her pretty hat off. Or, I might scare her and she might bump into her car and get her pretty dress messed up. I almost backed out of it. But I thought I don't want to get bluffed out of saying "Jesus loves you" to someone. Also, if I did not do this, I would be hunting a different "first." I shot a quick prayer up and asked the Lord to show me how to do this without scaring the sweet lady. We both finished filling our vehicles at about the same time and so when she went to get in her vehicle, we were able to make eye contact. I said, "Have a nice day and don't forget that Jesus loves you." She said something I could not really understand and got in her vehicle and drove off. I think she said something nice, but I just could not make it out. I decided not to snap a quick picture of her with my phone for my blog in the interests of not appearing creepy. Creepy and telling someone Jesus loves them just does not go together well. Plus she appeared to be a good bit older than me and had a big purse. I did not want to get wopped by an older lady with a big purse.
I noticed how quickly my natural inclination was to squirm out of this "first." I did not want to appear goofy, creepy, intrusive, or like some kind of a nut. But, what is wrong with telling someone that Jesus loves them? There is something about the flesh that simply fights against spiritual things. Our flesh rebels against different things. I know mine rebels against being embarrassed, looking silly, or speaking out. The Bible tells us in Galatians 5:16-17 (NLT), "So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions."
Each day I do battle with the flesh; that part of me that wants to do life my own way instead of God's way. Some think of the flesh in association with acts like drunkenness, adultery, fornication, and the desire to be rich. Certainly those things are works of the flesh. At the root of the flesh is the desire to do your own thing. God has called us to do His thing. Simply not speaking up for Jesus because I don't want to be embarrassed is a work of the flesh. The flesh can not be dealt with appropriately as a believer except by considering it dead. It can not be reformed or improved. It must be taken to the cross and considered as dead. Galatians 2:20 says, "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me." Romans 6:11-12 says, " Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts."
I have a daily decision to make. I can choose live life my own way or Jesus' way. His way is the abundant life way.
Choosing the abundant life
Barry
3 things I thank God for today
1. Church directories
2. God's omniscience
3. Curtains
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