Nothing Accidental

I met with my dear friend and mentor, Melba today.  I have desired and prayed for a mentor for YEARS, and God provided one for me this year.  She is graceful, loving, godly, and loves the Truth.  She also is very healthy in always pointing me toward resting in Him/His word.  She is not perfect…she walks in humility and authenticity.  I thank God for this season.  As I pour into many, I am being prayed for and poured into.  She is not there to solve or fix anything but to speak truth and point me toward that which is life–Christ.   Lately, I have heard the desire from those to be poured into from solid older adults.  I understand that desire.  I have owned it for many years.  What gets me is when people use that as an excuse not to disciple and pour into others who need it.  Just because people have not stepped up in your life, that does not give an excuse to forfeit the race and the call to disciple others  (Matthew 28).  God is sufficient.  He brings things in his timing.  He has grown me in season and out of season.  He will do the same for you.     One of my deepest passions is the solid discipleship of women and men in the church.  I am praying and studying and thinking a lot about how to lead well in that.  There is SO much false teaching in churches today.  People wait to be taught and fed and coddled–reaching out for the latest feel good book or popular teacher or conference.  I see the battle day in and day out for the mind and hearts of those who follow Christ.   Studying God’s word and praying and knowing Him does not come accidentally or easily.  Equipping people to know him deeper takes investment on my part and their part.    We do not wake up one day and stumble into godliness.  He initiates relationship.  We do not earn it…it is by his grace.  However, we do have to work hard at fellowship.  We seek not to earn his attention but to know him more deeply.  This takes examination of our hearts in the study of His word.  I am humbled everytime I look upon His word.  I see my sin and my desperate need for Him.  My passion is to keep pointing others to His word and His presence.     So many people who call themselves by Christ’s name, are ignorant of His truth.  It is simply laziness on their part.  Meeting with Melba this morning, we were reminded that we must pursue His truth daily.  Bathing ourselves in His truth, the Spirit spurs us on, convicts us of sin, and brings repentance and clinging to Him.  He holds us in his hand relationally–we do not add anything.  But, in fellowship, we seek Him.     May my mind and heart seek Him purposefully today.  May I surrender today.  May I desperately drink in His truth to wash away the lies of this world that invade my mind and heart each minute.  This will not accidentally happen….I have to seek it.  And, you do, too.