Initiate - Respond

This post is both a continuation of the comments from the last post as well as a response to a post from Matthew. He asks great questions, and while I don't have all the answers by a long stretch, I at least want to attempt to convey my thoughts.

For me when these questions arise, it all boils down to Christ in us, our hope of glory. What I mean by that is, we are in Him and He is in us... all the time.

Just think if He weren't in us, living in that vital union with us. Remember what God's demands are: Perfection. Holiness. Righteousness. Sanctity. Fruit. The list keeps going and going and going... much moreso than that little drummer bunny... :)

IN FACT... lol... this just popped into my head... let me use the Energizer Bunny as an example. How does he keep going and going and going? 1) He has been programmed by a designer to do certain things... he simply responds to the internal program instructions. 2) He does not do the things he was programmed to do in his own strength, but rather he is "energized" by a battery with an ongoing supply.

I know most of us understand this concept - God is the designer and the energizer of our lives in Him - and I know that the questions go much deeper than this simple illustration, but yet it's essentially a good example of the foundation that leads to activity in the Christian life. The Galatians had "run well," having been energized by the Spirit who dwelled in them. They had at one time turned to pure grace. But... now they had turned back to what they originally left... trying to live by the deeds of the flesh and by the law. What was needed to start "running well" again? To turn away from trying to live by the flesh and law, and instead living by pure grace.

So... "how" do we do this? I think this truly involves communication between God and us, in our spirits, but yet I don't think it's as complicated as we've made it out to be. I'll address some of that here and some in my next post. Something that really gets to the heart of this for me is the idea of initiator/responder. God is the initiator and we simply respond to Him. I really think scripture backs this up, not so much in doctrine as in biblical examples of those led by the Spirit. I think Paul's whole ministry was initiated by God, and he simply responded and walked in "the works that God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." At times Paul even had his mind set on some really great things, but for whatever reason the Spirit told him "no," such as when he wanted to go to Asia. So he turned and went elsewhere.

Anyway, what I mean to say here is that I believe it's not up to "us" to come up with ideas and plans as far as what to do with our lives, but we simply abide in Christ, and God initiates the actions and we simply respond. Remember, if it were up to us... think of all the things WE would have to initiate AND carry out! It would be impossible. If we fell short by an inch, it would be utter failure. And the thing is, we fall short by light years!

So... It's really about God's sovereignty (and our lack thereof)! I just can't picture God getting worried, upset, frustrated... or anything of the sort... when it comes to His plans coming to pass. God knows the plans He has for us. We don't really know what it all entails. So He initiates and we respond. And the wonderful thing is, our response is animated by His grace! We partner with Him as He animates our bodies, minds, actions, personalities, gifts, talents, etc, etc.

So what if we "miss" God's calling? Coming next...