STXWM Blog

Fashioned by God: Living The Adventure

“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” (Ephesians 2:10 NLT)

This has been an incredible month. We started our Fashioned by God theme by talking about how we can consistently be Living in Expectation. Then two weeks ago we discussed how to be a person Living without Fear. Then last week we looked at the way children wholeheartedly trust their parents as we read about how we can act like a child of the King who is Living by Faith. Now we’re going to take the next step.

A couple of weeks ago we talked about the fact that we tend to become fearful because of something that has not happened. In other words, we fear the unknown. Then we took it a step further and acknowledged that fully trusting God means that we must relinquish our control over the future. Again, the unknown. And by definition, every single future moment you have not yet lived, is the unknown. You are going to encounter unknown events throughout your entire life, no matter what you do. You can plan and scheme and try to control the future. You can set things in place that make you feel secure. By the way, did you notice the word ‘feel’ in the last sentence? A feeling is not guaranteed from one moment to the next. Feelings can change in an instant. On a whim. You can cry and pray and beg God to do what you want, which by definition is ultimately asserting your will. But in the end, you can’t control the events of your life, let alone the world, any more than you can make the sun come up in the morning, or stop shining, if you so wish. So you’re going to be walking into the unknown in each and every breath that you are given. You must decide whether you will embrace fear, or faith, along the way.

There is just as much of the unknown inherent in fear as there is in faith. How can you begin to recognize and arrest the paralyzing grip of fear, and embrace the miraculous possibilities that are inherent in faith?

When Mary the mother of Jesus was still very young, she was given a choice. She chose God’s way, even though it meant almost certain ridicule and judgment. She was young, but she was smart enough to know that she could lose her future husband. She was probably certain that she would be misunderstood by everyone around her, including her own family and community. But she said, “Yes!” She decided to do things God’s way instead of her own way. She chose the adventure. Listen to what she says when the angel appears to tell her about what God has planned for her future.

She chose God’s way, even though it meant almost certain ridicule and judgment. She was young, but she was smart enough to know that she could lose her future husband. She was probably certain that she would be misunderstood by everyone around her, including her own family and community. But she said, “Yes!” She decided to do things God’s way instead of her own way. She chose the adventure.

April Jones

“Mary responded, ‘I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.’”  (Luke 1:38a NLT)

Mary embraced the adventure wholeheartedly. She was all in.

Remember, you are going to be on an adventure whether you like it or not. Every single moment is literally chock full of the unknown. Your life is truly and completely out of your control. Each second you are alive here on this earth is an unknown adventure.

And don’t forget that you are only given so many earth minutes to spend. Although you have more than one life, you only have one life here on earth, in this body of flesh. How will you spend the rest of your earth moments? You have a choice. I have a choice. We all have a choice. Everyone has a choice. Heaven is waiting for your decision in each and every moment.

“19 Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live! 20 You can make this choice by loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him. This is the key to your life. And if you love and obey the Lord, you will live long in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” (Deuteronomy 30:19-20 NLT)

Begin to retrain your fleshly mindset, in order to see things through the anticipating eyes of faith, rather than the crippling lens of fear. Ask yourself regularly whose will you are chasing. Yours or God’s? Who’s calling the shots?

“You saw me before I was born and scheduled each day of my life before I began to breathe. Every day was recorded in your book!” (Psalm 139:16 TLB)

Never forget that you are given a choice in each and every moment of life. Don’t shy away from the detailed plan that God lovingly wrote out for you before you took your first breath. Embrace the adventure and jump in with your whole heart.  Live a life filled to the brim with God-purpose.

Heavenly Father, thank You that You have planned out an amazing adventure with my name on it. You thoughtfully, intentionally and lovingly recorded a purpose-filled life just for me! I want to embrace that adventure with my whole heart. I refuse to shrink back in fear and therefore miss out on all that You have planned for me. I am eternally grateful that You want to use me in miraculous ways. I am nothing on my own. Everything I am and everything that I have ever done, or will ever do, is because of You. You are the most amazing master planner. Thank You that You saw fit to include me in Your divine plan. I realize I don’t deserve it, but I will forever be thankful. In the mighty name of Your son, Jesus. Amen.