Friday, November 14, 2008

The Price Is Right -or- Is It?

I just got back from the best concerts I've ever been too...and I wasn't sure if I wanted to keep the original title of this post/blog, but decided it actually fit nicely to what I felt God put on my heart this evening.
I'd like to start by asking a general question: In your brokenness, what price did you pay?
I wanted to start with such a question because I know today many are hurting. Many are in search of acceptance, love, and purpose. And sometimes in that pursuit we lose sight of a simple truth. 'Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices whenever the truth wins out' (1st Cor. 13:6)
Love never asks the 'beloved' to do what he or she thinks is wrong. It never tears down convictions, quite the opposite. Which leads me to an illustration I'd like to share-it's one of my favorite author uses.
Max was tired...he checked into his hotel room and went straight to bed. When he woke up, he felt rejuvenated and decided to go for a jog. As he was leaving he waved to the desk clerk...knowing he was in a town he wasn't familiar with, he decided to stay close to the main road. So he weaved in and out of areas, always coming back to the main road-which he knew would lead him back to his hotel room.
Upon his return, he noticed something in the main lobby...breakfast! So he decided to have some toast and oatmeal. He even overheard a conversation and couldn't help but jump in. There he spent over two hours hanging out. When he was done, he decided to take a doughnut with him and some more coffee-chalking his hunger up to the long run. When he rounded the hallway he noticed a pool...he didn't remember there being a pool, but he kept walking and when he got to his room his key wouldn't work. After the third time he looked up and noticed it wasn't his room.
Confused, he went outside and looked up-it wasn't his hotel! He spent over two hours in the wrong hotel...but it felt so right. He was conversing with people, eating breakfast and was in the wrong place.
Confused? Well, sometimes feelings can confuse you. I mean look at our culture today. It encourages us to do whatever we feel is best for us-putting ourselves before others. And in relationships, often there are times when someone has tried or asked us to do something that was wrong and used 'love' to justify it. Stop me if you've heard this before: 'If you love me...'
Now, before this gets too long of a blog, know that it's nearly three days in the making and I felt that God was pulling on my heart strings to share this with you.
So ask yourself this question...do you want to know what love is? If you do then be careful-take a good look around, are you in the right hotel? Be prayerful-it's never too late. Love is a fruit of the spirit. (Romans 5:5) Be grateful-for the love you do have from your family and friends-true friends. And remember 1st Cor. 13:6.
Thanks again for your time...

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