In the long ago days of my youth, I had a
friend who, when wanting to emphasize the truth of what he was saying, would add
the exclamation, "Square business!" That was brought to my memory by something
British author and pastor T. Austin-Sparks said, "If you mean business with the
Lord, the Lord will mean business with you." As we enter into yet another new
year, how many of us will truly "mean business" with the Father? How many of us
will "transact" business with Him? Business that involves every aspect of our
lives. Business that will not exhibit a willingness to make minor life
adjustments, spiritual tweaks, but does business with Him at the very root of
our being? How many of us, as a result of recent conviction, will resolve to do
better, do more, be less self-absorbed, and more "other" centered, only to see
ourselves after a few weeks of good intentions, slide right back into our
inherent self centered lives? Francis Chan said that "we like to be convicted
and think that's success." Judging by how little so many of we who profess to
follow Him truly are transformed year after year, we're enjoying a great deal of
that "success." The status quo for most remains the status
quo.
In Numbers
14:24, it is said of Caleb that he walked in "another spirit" than the majority
of the people of Israel in that he wholly followed and belonged to the Father.
He meant business with God. God meant business with Him, and the result of it
all showed forth in His life. Caleb, as Sparks said, "lived up to, and out from
heaven." His heart and spirit lived in the throne room of God. On most days,
where is mine found? Where is yours? In the midst of this comfort, safety, and
pleasure obsessed culture, a culture that has fully invaded the church,
where will yours and my heart be found? Will we live out, by His grace, another
year that ends with us in very much the same place as where we began? The place
we were the year before, and the year before that, and the year before that,
and.....
I heard Bishop Harry Jackson say recently that in Chinese, the
symbol for Christ was "danger and opportunity." How many of us would embrace
that symbol of the Savior? Provider, Protector,
the One who makes all our
desires and wants come to pass, Him we'll eagerly embrace, but One who offers
only the dangerous reality of what it is to truly live for and in Him, and all
the opportunities that yields to live for, in, and out of Him in the midst of
that danger? Well, that may be another matter entirely. Which symbol of Christ
will we embrace, the One which can be used to enhance our agenda, or He who
leads us ever onward, into real danger, yet all the while safe in His hands, and
all the opportunity such a life will bring? The One who has business to do with
you and I calls. He calls now. Square business!
Blessings,
Pastor
O
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