Remember Your Right Standing

It is a true statement that all believers are blessed.  It's what brings us into the kingdom.  Through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, we now have a right standing before the Father, which brings a deep joy despite our earthly circumstances. That's what it means to be blessed.

So why aren't kingdom citizens more joyful?  It's because they have separated their spiritual life from their physical life.  They live vertically in their spiritual life and horizontally in their physical life.  Here's what that looks like:

• They wake to an alarm that feels all too early and their first thought is what lies ahead - problems at work that need to be ironed out, battles with children who won't listen, coldness with a spouse because of an unresolved argument, that inevitable phone call from an overbearing relative that you know is coming today, what to make for dinner, when to get the laundry done, questioning if you can put off organizing that closet just one more day...they hit the snooze and long to fall back into that deep sleep where reality is much gentler and interesting
• Up, dressed, coffee in hand, praise music in the car on the way to work or while taking children to school and they get a glimpse of hope - this day might not be so bad.  The music is uplifting and for a brief moment they raise their eyes towards heaven and thank the Lord that He is with them
• The day moves on and the weight of the world returns - back stabbing at work, impatient and selfish co-workers, clients that won't return calls, children calling from school - they forgot their lunch, toddlers that need to be fed and changed, bathroom tub is draining slow again, can't get the stain out of the carpet from the spilled coke, laundry never ends - just like the call from that relative, grocery bill pushed their budget into the red, $60 to fill your gas tank, no call from their spouse which will make dinner even more awkward, homework, AYSO practices, quick dinners, baths and bedtime for children - they glance over at their small group devotional and think that maybe tomorrow they'll have time to get to it
• Slipping into bed, the quietness of the darkness wraps around them and sleep is at the door.  Once again, their thoughts lift to the heavens, where they pray for their children and ask forgiveness for their sins and drift off to sleep, only to start it all over again tomorrow

Ugh.  I know I have exaggerated it a bit, but I think there is a lot of reality to this description.  Life is busy. Life is hard. And it's very horizontal - we look ahead to the finish line of the day, we check over our shoulder to make sure we're ahead of the game and when we occasionally look up at the Lord, it's a fleeting, emotional thought and then back to real life.

Friends, let me encourage you to connect your spiritual life with your physical life - your spiritual life is actually what drives your physical life.  Let me give you a few suggestions of what this looks like;

• Start each day at the foot of the cross - before your feet ever touch the ground, lift your heart towards heaven and greet your heavenly Father, ask Him to guide you and thank Him for His wonderful gifts He has given you - the life of His Son and the presence of His Spirit
• Sing praise to your Creator in the shower - it sounds so good in there and it will lift your spirits, even if you have a hard day ahead
• Work on memorizing a bible verse while you brush your teeth or put on make up - choose one that will encourage you and strengthen you in times of need - pick one that focuses on the love of God, or a description of Jesus
• Pray over your children's day and your spouse's day at breakfast - grab your Bible and read a verse to your children while they eat breakfast - ask them what they think it means...
• At work, or the grocery store, or in the laundry room, or while cleaning the house, ask the Lord for patience - ask Him how you can be His hands and His voice today to someone who is hurting - because God has opened up the gates to His throne room through the death of His Son, you are able to enter any time and talk to your Father
• While driving in the car, make that call to your spouse and ask forgiveness for being selfish and work out your issue - do it before you get back together at the end of the day - humble yourself and reach out for restoration - don't let the coldness turn into ice...
• Find time over lunch to do your small group homework - soak in the word, think through the questions, meditate on the Word - and watch your time!  If you really get into it, the minutes will get away from you!
• Sing in your head all day, remember your memory verses, talk to the Father, ask for wisdom when you make your grocery list and know what you can cut out so that you don't overshoot your budget allowance
• Have a grateful heart for all things - remember, no matter what you face today, it is far less difficult than hell and heaven is going to be far greater - keep your eyes on Christ and remember that because He loves you, you have right standing before the Father - because after all, you are blessed!

Let me encourage you to start your day with Jesus and end it with Him - this is not a one-week fix, but a lifetime of growing, stretching and learning complete dependence on the only One that truly matters in life.  As citizens of the Kingdom, we cannot go through life forgetting the King we serve.  Remember your right standing - remember just how blessed you are!