We are, by nature, a race of wind chasers.
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This morning I was having coffee with a friend of mine and we were discussing the times we are in and what we see ahead. It was a great visit for me, but one thought emerged for me from our time together- we, as a race, are wind chasers. We let the winds of culture determine our direction and destination. It's really hard to go against the wind of the culture and those around us, but those who want to follow the Lord must set their course against the winds. The direction of the winds of our culture don't take us where God wants us to go, so we must fly against the winds we see driving the culture around us and go in another direction.
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It's hard. The winds are strong. It's easier to just sit back and enjoy the ride...to go with the wind, but it's not where God wants us. To follow God means to have the wind in your face most of the time. It's hard. But the goal is worth the effort. You see, the winds are fickle. They change often, first this way then that way. If you allow yourself to be a wind chaser soon you will lose all sense of direction.
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The truth is that the winds that drive our culture have no destination in mind, only the thrill of the ride. God is interested in the destination, not simply the ride. All that the world seeks and values is contrary to what God values. He's not enamored by wind chasers. He is watching for those who lean into the wind and go another direction, those who are looking to the destination, not simply wind chasers enjoying the ride.
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Jer 9:23 Thus says the LORD, "Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches;
Jer 9:24 but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things," declares the LORD.
Jer 9:24 but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things," declares the LORD.
3 comments:
Maybe...but sometimes we need to have our sails finely adjusted to use those winds for maximum advantage.
Paul used the winds of culture (note his many pop culture references by quoting poets of his day, statues in the square, etc.) to advance the Gospel. And, as Billy Graham once said, "Geared to the times, anchored to the Rock."
Maybe those winds of culture can be a very good thing as we steer the ship of "church" towards the next generation of leaders...
...and may we gracefully exit the stage when it's time and allow them to take us to places we've never seen and sights we'd have missed if we faught too hard against those winds.
Hmmm. I disagree about our sails being adjusted to the winds but that may just be that I misunderstand the analogy, being a land lubber. Maybe by finely adjusted you mean not being directed by them understanding their direction so as to reach them.
It seems to me that the world is more blown around by the wind than chasing after it. They think they are chasing but they are really being blown. Culture does not always blow us away from the Lord but it sure is a fickle wind.
But the reality remains that those very people are the ones to whom we must communicate the gospel. And it's hard to yell very far out to sea from the shore.
Maybe we're supposed to be the lighthouses?
God is interested in the destination, not simply the ride.
Yes, for those im Christ to conform to Christ. Romans 8:29.
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