Clinton in Africa. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has called on South Africa to take a leading role in stimulating other African economies in the midst of the worldwide financial crisis. Her Africa diplomatic trip continues through the weekend.
Oh! Teach us to live well!
Teach us to live wisely and well! (The Message)
"It is surely a monstrous thing that men can measure all distances without themselves, that they know how many feet the moon is distant from the centre of the earth, what space there is between the different planets; while yet they cannot number seventy years in their own case. It is therefore evident that Moses had good reason to beseech God for ability to perform what requires a wisdom which is very rare among mankind. We then truly apply our hearts to wisdom when we comprehend the shortness of human life. What can be a greater proof of madness than to ramble about without proposing to oneself any end? True believers alone, who know the difference between this transitory state and a blessed eternity, for which they were created, know what ought to be the aim of their life."
(Commentary from Heart Aflame: Daily Readings from Calvin on the Psalms)
What is true for fundamentals in baseball is also true in life. A Christian cannot live life the way God meant it to be lived without practicing the fundamentals of the faith, namely studying the Word of God and engaging in prayer. Something is missing at the center of the human heart when the One who is the Living Word is not enthroned there.
"The Self-Discipline Approach"
1 Corinthians 3:7
So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. (ESV)
"There's no doubt that disciplined people, both believers and unbelievers, can effect a change in themselves. But in the self-discipline approach to holiness, a major temptation is to rely on a regimen of spiritual disciplines instead of on the Holy Spirit."
The spiritual disciplines are important, as is seeking to practice them. However, they are not the source of our spiritual strength! The source of our strenght is Jesus Christ, and it is the Holy Spirit's ministry to apply that strength. Note the Scripture above from 1 Corinthians. We can plant and water. But we cannot make anything grow! We must plant and water, but only the Spirit can change us.
Jonathan Edwards had a list of 70 resolutions for his own spiritual discipline. "His resolutions would make most of our present-day disciplines look like spiritual kindergarten." However, here is what was written at the beginning of the list: "Being sensible that I am unable to do any thing without God's help, I do humbly entreat him, by his grace, to enable me to keep these Resolutions, so far as they are agreeable to his will, for Christ's sake." He was disciplined, but he was dependent.
Most of us would probably agree that we are dependent on the Spirit. But is that just lip service? Do we really practice it? Or are we seeking holiness by our own strength, relying solely on the disciplines?
Give me wisdom and strength to work on those "fundamentals." Funny how you brought that extra devotion in this morning that went hand in hand with the Holiness Day by Day reading for today. I do need work on the disciplines, Lord. My disciplines have suffered lately. So help me get back to those fundamentals in my spiritual walk. But just as the next reading pointed out, let me not depend on those disciplines to grow me. Only you, through the Holy Spirit can cause me to grow in my spiritual life. But let me not depend solely on you, thinking that I don't have to do any "work" to grow. It takes both. I must plant and water...you will bring the growth.
Grace and peace, friends.