Convictions

In my last post, I shared our lesson on the FROG (Fully Rely On God). This lesson has stuck with me. On the way to church yesterday, my son who brought the FROG lesson home said, "I don't think the F should stand for Fully. I think it should stand for Forever!" His conviction was clear - he had been thinking about this lesson change for a few weeks. Obviously the lesson hadn't stuck only with me. Wow. The mind of a 7 year old never ceases to amaze me. Yes, I agree, this takes the lesson to a new level.

Strong beliefs or convictions direct us in the way we carry out our lives. They play into our focus and our determination and eventually what we accomplish. I think it's important to have convictions to direct our steps. However, sometimes strong convictions can hinder others' steps if we are not careful about how we share them.

Our next verse of thanks comes from a portion of scripture that sheds light on how we, as Christians, are to treat one an other's convictions. Paul is addressing the faith of the weak and the strong. He gets into some details of choices made by individuals that are in different levels of faith. There seems to be some disagreement among his audience on what is right or wrong in matters of diet and celebrations.

"He who regards one day as special, does so to the Lord. He who eats meat, eats to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who abstains, does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God." Romans 14:6

Paul is letting Christians know that agreeing on these details is not necessary. What is necessary is serving the Lord and giving thanks for His provision. Now and again, in the church, believers criticize and look down upon their fellow believer for their convictions that don't align. Paul tells us that this is not our job. It's God's. We will all stand before the Judgment Seat of God and he quotes Isaiah 45:23 "every knee will bow before me; every tongue will confess to God."

Later in this same message Paul says, "For, after all, the important thing for us as Christians is not what we eat or drink but stirring up goodness and peace and joy from the Holy Spirit. If you let Christ be Lord in these affairs, God will be glad; and so will others. In this way aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up." (Romans 14:17-19 The Living Bible)

My son's conviction that Fully isn't quite enough when it comes to our trust or reliance on God - but that Forever, we should, Rely On God. In my spirit, I think they are both necessary. I LOVE the new level of eternal perspective that Forever brings in. After all, in the end, the point is being with our Father God and that is Forever. Just as Paul was directing his disputing listeners to focus on serving the Lord and giving Him thanks, my son is working out his understanding of always and Forever Relying On God. For that matter, so am I.

Oswald Chambers says, "Once we realize that Jesus has served us even to the depths of our meagerness, our selfishness, and our sin, nothing we encounter from others will be able to exhaust our determination to serve others for His sake." So if the criticizing lens has been focused on me... well then, as long as I have my priorities straight and my focus on giving thanks to God, I pray I can determine to serve Him anyway. I pray I stand with a strong conviction in gratitude to my God FOREVER.

"And be thankful." Colossians 3:15b