Thoughts
on Michael Wells’ teachings in My Weakness for His Strength (Vol. 1) - #
310
Michael’s book is
available through:
ABIDING LIFE MINISTRIES INTERNATIONAL
Littleton, Colorado
(303) 972-0859 www.abidinglife.com
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Many of Michael’s writings are more general in
nature…they cover life from a broad perspective and not narrowed down to a
specific time in a person’s life. This
one is different. Aimed at those in the “twenty-something”
age group. Therefore, Michael gives us
some important particulars for younger people to consider.
However, as Michael points out, those who live
long enough will face the inevitable challenges of older age. Look closely at what he points out will carry
anyone through from their twenties to the end.
DAY 305
Twenty-Something,
Bored and Scared
Then the men became
extremely frightened and they said to him, “How could you do this?” For the men
knew that he was fleeing from the presence of the LORD, because he had told
them.
--Jonah 1:10
A large segment of the twenty-something crowd feels both
bored and scared about the future, with fear of
working a dead-end job, doing the eight-to-five routine, preparing for
retirement, and finally ending up sipping liquefied Jello from a straw in a
nursing home. They shrink
from commitment. Many have come from broken homes and from the time of
their youth experienced the fear that comes from believing that a family
breakup is imminent. The knot in the stomach from hearing the fighting, seeing
the drinking, and hearing the accusations made them miserable. We cannot blame them;
they have witnessed firsthand marriage as something to be avoided. Fear has created an unbelievably
aloof and boring generation with their attempt to live life and yet avoid life
by engaging in the same old safe things: reliable relationships, secure jobs,
lack of risk, and avoidance of pain. Yet all the while they feel more and more bored and self-centered.
There is hope for those in this generation, for there is
nothing that the nearness of Jesus will not cure, no, not one thing.
The normal progression of
life cannot be avoided without a person’s imploding. Man is meant to
grow up, leave home, become self-sufficient, work a job, get married, have
kids, become too old to work, and yes, one day die. It is the normal way of
things. It is not boring, but
it is only truly exciting if a normal life is lived with Jesus. Do not
think that Jesus, God Himself, was bored helping to raise his brothers and
sisters, taking care of his mother, living in a small village, and making
furniture. We see in Him
that the normal progression of life coupled with the progression of walking
with the Father blended perfectly together, making it all exciting. My
own life has been anything but boring, and I really thank God for everything
that comes with, and everything He accomplished in me through, “normal life.” I
have never been bored. In
every situation it is exciting to see what the Lord is going to do. Jumping
into the middle of normal life with Jesus grants the discovery of a great
adventure!
Again, why does the twenty-something
crowd feel lost? They
are avoiding the normal progression of things out of fear. They have
seen the worst end result of marriage and children and are avoiding it.
Therefore, they are moved
to act like adolescents well into their late twenties.
Yellow – VIP, Very Important Point Green
– IT, Incredible Truth
Red – GP, Greatest Promises
Turquoise – UR, Unfathomable Riches Pink
– PV, Priceless Victory
The story of Jonah has always been a very intriguing account to me. The thoughts and actions of the sailors Jonah
was with, who clearly were not that “connected” to God, give indication that
even “outsiders” recognize the power of God.
They were upset simply because they “knew” what Jonah was up to and how
that impacted them. Interesting. I’ve known long-time Christians who didn’t acknowledge
God’s power in some of the most evident situations of a disobedient or disconnected
brother or sister in Christ.
For someone like me, in my early 70’s and who did not KNOW Christ until
my mid-30’s, I feel sad that the “twenty-somethings” of today are as “bored and
scared” as they are. That reveals how
far our society has turned from God and the results of life in a culture mostly
without God. Life in the 50’s, 60’s, and
70’s was not “scary,” even for an Unbeliever.
“Bored, scared, shrinking from commitment, attempting to live life and
yet avoiding life, self-centered”…the picture of emptiness and exhaustion of
life without Christ. BUT (I
call this a HOLY “but”), enter Christ and HOPE becomes reality.
Look again at the Life-giving recollection Michael brings us: There
is hope for those in this generation, for there is nothing that the nearness of
Jesus will not cure, no, not one thing…The normal progression of life cannot be
avoided…It is not boring, but it is only truly exciting if a normal life is
lived with Jesus…in Him that the normal progression of life coupled with the
progression of walking with the Father blended perfectly together, making it
all exciting…In every situation it is exciting to see what the Lord is going to
do. Jumping into the middle of normal life with Jesus grants the discovery of a
great adventure!
Well, amen!
To access ALL past weekly
blogs, go to Living Life With a Capital
“C” by logging onto www .leemccm.blogspot.com
NOTICE: another blog on
Michael Wells’ book, Sidetracked In The Wilderness, called Getting Out of the
Wilderness. You can access by logging onto
www.leemcchristianministries.blogspot.com
Lee McDowell Christian Ministries
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TX 75963 936-559-5696
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