For all of the ways that we could spend our words this week, what is more worthy than spending them on the truth of Jesus Christ? For all of the things that we could share with the world, whether at home, at work, at play, or on the cyber canvas that you call your own, what is more important than the boast of Jesus Christ?
We will think of them … ways to spend our words and our time accordingly. Some necessary. Some less than. But when this time next week rolls around, we will have recorded a solid seven days’ worth of lip service to our life’s walk. And for all of the ways that our lives will require the investment of our words over the next week, none is more important than the ones that we will invest on behalf of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
None.
Yes, there will be those necessary occasions that ask for less—occasions that don’t call for the Jesus talk. But all of them, every last one of them, require the heart of a Jesus walk. When our “necessary” doesn’t require our words, we still write a story. Their witness speaks even when our words remain silent.
The Apostle Paul resolved to know nothing except the message of Jesus Christ. He was a learned man, schooled and versed in the pharisaical way of doing life. Still and yet, no amount of book learning could prepare him for the task that he was ordained to do. It would take something far greater, far grander and more spectacular to shape his heart for the kingdom mantle he would be asked to wear.
It would take an illumination from the heavenlies—a moment of brilliant awakening where the shattering truth of the “Word made flesh” would shatter the lie believed to the contrary.
Paul received his moment of brilliance, leaving him blinded by the revelation of just enough great and quite enough grand and over the top spectacular to forever alter his destiny. No longer would he rely on his formal training or his former understanding for doing life. Instead, his formal and his former would concede their pride to the new and humbled way of a crucified life.
The lifestyle that once earned Paul’s persecution and ardent disdain would now become the life that he would embody. And while we may not fully grasp the revelatory depth of Paul’s brilliant moment in the sun with the Son, if we know Jesus Christ as Lord, then we, too, have been called to a new and humbled way of living.
It’s a living that shifts our focus from me to Thee. At least it should. And if it hasn’t, if for some reason you’re still thinking that your me is bigger than your Thee, then may I suggest to you that a humbled walk under the brilliant light of God’s Son might serve you well this week? Not so that you can feel more guilty and more discouraged about your life as a Christian, but rather because it is time for the truth of Jesus Christ to take its rightful place in your heart and, consequently, in the way that you do life.
The way that you walk life. The way that you speak life and move through the paces of your day so that when you come to a week’s end, you do so being spent on behalf of something that matters rather than something that doesn’t.
Jesus Christ is that something. Everything else is just extra. Not necessarily bad, just extra. I don’t know about you, but I want my extra to be built upon something solid and real and lasting. Otherwise, when the extra fades, there’s nothing but empty. And friends, I’ve spent a whole lot of my life doing empty—investing my many words and my many doings in a way that literally says a whole lot more about me than him.
Time to grow up and to put the language of my childish ways behind me. Time to realize that my words are not my own. They were bought with a price, and therefore should be spoken according to the blood that was exacted for the freedom of their saying.
Thus, like the Apostle Paul, I resolve to know nothing else but Jesus Christ and him crucified. He is the knowing that has shattered my world with just enough great and quite enough grand and over the top spectacular so as to forever alter my destiny. He is the foundation that I want beneath my extra so that when the world comes knocking this week my responses are anchored in the truth of who he is rather than in the lie of thinking that I am anything apart from him.
Without Jesus, my words ring hollow. My life lives empty. My light burns dim. My time spends wasted. My story reads vacant. With him?
Words come to life. Lives live full and lights burn with the intensity of heaven’s illumination. Time spends wells and our stories become the stuff of lasting and kingdom significance. And that, my friends, is the worthy ending of a well lived week. May we each one, walk toward such a sacred conclusion with every step that we take and with every moment that is ours to write. Thus, I pray…
Help me keep focus, Lord, on the stuff that matters. Fill my heart and my mind with the foundational truth of your gospel, and keep me humbled with the witness of your crucified life. Forgive me for thinking that I am more, thus assigning you your less. I must become less, and you must become more. Be the anchor that holds my extra. Be the fire that burns my pride to ashes, and be the Spirit that blows them accordingly … in line with your will and for your fame alone. You are worthy of my words, Lord. Sanctify them toward your mighty and perfect end. Amen.
Copyright © February 2009 – Elaine Olsen
Friends, please be sure and join me all week! There will be some give aways incorporated into daily posts beginning tomorrow. Shalom.
“Without Jesus, my words ring hollow. My life lives empty. My light burns dim. My time spends wasted. My story reads vacant.”
YES!YES!YES!!
I am stiving to live an active faith like never before.
You write so elegantly friend. I come here and dwell in these words as they always-ALWAYS-reflect my heart, my thoughts.
You are so precious!
In His Graces~Pamela
Elaine, as I believe I’ve mentioned to you before, for the past 10 years the Lord has given me a ‘theme verse’ for the year, and 1 Cor. 2:2 is the one the Lord chose for me this year. You are writing about the “worthy knowing” my heart is pursuing this year.
“May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in Your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.” Psalm 19:14
For Him,
Joy
Wow. Such a powerful message. My primary MUST be Him, and I must speak His words. I had never thought about my words being bought as a price, as well as myself. I will use this this week. Thank you.
Elaine,
CONGRATULATIONS on being named one of the Top 100 Christian Women’s Blogs for 2008!! God bless you. I know you probably won’t say much about it on your blog, but I am thrilled to be able to congratulate you.
Leah
How eloquently your pen has written the very thoughts I offered up in prayer for my week; it’s my focus for the year, really, to truly LIVE and FLESH OUT my beliefs…to live OUT LOUD.
“Time to realize that my words are not my own. They were bought with a price, and therefore should be spoken according to the blood that was exacted for the freedom of their saying.” Oh, AMEN AND AMEN!!
Blessings to you dear friend,
Melinda
Elaine, when you share your heart, my walk is always deepened. “My words are not my own. They were bought with a price.” I am reeling with that one! Thanks for inspiring me to spend some time this week weighing my words, to ask, “Are these words worth the price that was paid for them?” Mmmmmmm . . . .
The way that you speak life and move through the paces of your day so that when you come to a week’s end, you do so being spent on behalf of something that matters rather than something that doesn’t.
This spoke volumes to me, Elaine. To me, that is part of reaching for Higher Grounds, and peace for the journey. But I hunger for so more….so much more of Him.
Love,
Yolanda
“I’ve spent a whole lot of my life doing empty.”
Oh,yes! This sounds like lots of my days! Something that I pray about and need to do differently.
Thanks,Elaine for this beautiful reminder and scripture. I pray that God blesses your day, sweet friend!
Love ya,
Susan
And a shout out to Leah for letting us know that you were named to Top 100 Christian Women’s Blogs for 2008!!God is SO,SO using you! Thank you for listening to Him.
Eloquently powerful words.
Melanie@Bella~Mella
Sweet friend, I love your gift for speaking God's word directly to my heart. What a beautiful and challenging thought to carry with me as I start this week.
I'm echoing your prayer today my friend. My Lord deserves no less.
I was so happy to see you honored among the Top 100 Christian Women's blogs. You are such a faithful servant, teacher and encourager to all of us. I can honestly say I love the Lord more for knowing you, sweet one.
Thanks & love,
Tracy
Amen!
Hi, and many CONGRATS for being one of the Top 100 blogs of 2008! It’s my first visit to your site, but I will be coming back for more…beautiful, thought-provoking, Spirit-filled. Amen and well done!
From one “All New Flavor” blogger to another
My focus the past few days has been on authenticity and that includes living an authentic faith that is real and true. I want to see myself and others through the filter of Christ that reveals truth rather than the distortion of the world view.
Oh, Elaine…
Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” John 6:68
and sister sheri answered him, “Lord, to who shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.”
I honestly have nothing else. Nothing else. No one else…
And all I have to say to you, Elaine … is keep doing what you are doing…
Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine. 2 Timothy 4:2 KJV
Once again your words strike me:) And I pray I can do as you remimd us to do each day.
Good stuff girl.
I will concentrate on this this week.
The words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart……
Sister how your words speak to my heart. How thankful I am that the Lord has blessed you with the gift of pen and that you embrace that gift.
Sharing the truth of Jesus… on the keyboard, our words, at work at play… yes, it might not be words, but it can be just being. I want at Living Faith so I can live all the way home!
“Time to realize that my words are not my own. They were bought with a price, and therefore should be spoken according to the blood that was exacted for the freedom of their saying.”
Wow.
I’ve always known the verse that says, “You’re not your own,” but somehow I never specified that down to the details. My words also were bought with a price. My housework is bought with a price. It may sound like it’s the same thing, but it’s subtly different.
Is He getting what He paid for from me?
Wow again.
This is a wonderful post and so what I needed to hear. I am so glad to have found your lovely blog. Have a wonderful day.
Resonating today…
Time to realize that my words are not my own.
Thank you for this. Thank you for your ministry.
That He is someone I can cling too and know He is with me through tears and joy both sometimes at the same time and that is most comforting to me when it seems as if everyone else has left me and yet he is holding my hand.