September 2010

  I began applying for store manager positions after an eight-year career with Walmart.  Despite a mediocre, "lukewarm" relationship with God, I turned to Him throughout the application and interview process.
  Lukewarm is an overused term but it is relevant.  To me the term "lukewarm," as it relates to my relationship with God, means that I rejected contact with a great friend.  I'm sure you can relate.  Imagine your best friend in High School.  You did everything together.  You promised each other you would never lose contact.  You might have even made a commitment to go to the same college or made plans for a future "reunion" set for a specific date.  As best friends you saw your future as inseparable.  However, the reality is that other things come into our lives that demand our attention--girlfriends, grades, paying the bills, jobs, spouses, kids, toys--and ultimately the biggest demand for our attention is ourselves.  
  Vanity--we turn to our own selfish desires, ambitions and needs.  That blood-sworn-handshake-high school commitment has now dwindled to a mere post card at Christmas   We might go so far as to pick up a phone if we wanted to share a major event in our lives or brag about the successes of our children to one another; But the spirit of that high school union has long been lost by distance and by the other choices of our lives.  
  Like the spirit of a childhood union, the Spirit of God leaves us when we pursue other things in our life besides a relationship with our Creator.  
  During my Walmart days I unfortunately grew distant to God.  It wasn't my job that caused it.  It was "the excuse" of my job.  When you practice selfishness--everything becomes about preserving time for your priorities.  When your priority is you...everything else takes second place.  God asks us to be selfless.  This is a contrary statement to our lives.  Everything our world values points to self-worth, self-preservation, self-motivation, self-esteem, self, self, self..
When asked which is the greatest commandment in the law, Jesus replied:

  “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’³⁸ This is the first and greatest commandment. ³⁹ And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’⁴⁰ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”  Mathew 22:37-40

. God wants us to love Him but He does not impose that on us against our will.  If we choose to live a life in sin, God has a few options with which to handle us. 

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. ² He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes^{[or cleans]} so that it will be even more fruitful. ³ You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. ⁴ Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.  

 ⁵ “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. ⁶ If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. ⁷ If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. ⁸ This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples."

 We choose to sin yet God has high standards.  If we turn away from our sins and ask for forgiveness, God forgives us and restores the relationship.  If we continue sinning, God sometimes uses adversity, conflict and pain to bring us to a place where He wants us to be.
My choices and my sin and ultimately my choice to remain in sin distanced me from God to the point of near-complete separation.  I no longer heard God's voice encouraging me and directing me because no one can serve two masters.

  If you choose yourself, God will let you.  

  Fortunately, God desires restoration with his children.  He allows conflict in our lives to remind us we still need Him.  I am truly thankful for those reminders.     
  The effect of rejection for several store manager positions began to draw me into a point of submission.  

God, I need you and I am tired of fighting your will.  Whatever you want me to do--I will do it.

  I prayed this prayer despite being a long way from where I wanted to be with God.  I turned toward him and began to read the bible again.  I turned to prayer and fasting to seek God's will.  I turned from my selfishness.  I am so thankful for His patience.  I am so thankful for His love and that He allows us forgiveness.  

  In the parable of the prodigal son God gives us an image of his desire to be restored with us. .  Luke 15:20 says: 

"But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him."

  God wants us to turn toward him but He closes the gap between us.  He makes the journey easier because He rushes to us to walk the rest of the way with us.  Thank you God for the image of being the loving father who loves unconditionally.  All we have to do is love back.  


  Is it difficult?  YES!  Is it worth it?  YES!
Next Post: Hope Follows Rejection