Day 306 - Two Tracks

Thoughts on Michael Wells’ teachings in My Weakness for His Strength (Vol. 1) - # 311

         

Michael’s book is available through:

ABIDING LIFE MINISTRIES INTERNATIONAL

Littleton, Colorado

(303) 972-0859       www.abidinglife.com

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A favorite thought of mine is that life can be complex but does not need to be complicated.  The Natural mind likes to complicate things.  The Mind of Christ can handle complex things in an uncomplicated way.  Michael points us to God’s way of thinking (His Mind) that can give us peace while on two tracks!

DAY 306

Two Tracks

Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. --Matthew 10:34

There are times in life when we would like everything to run on one track, and, as with every issue, there can be both the legitimate and the illegitimate side. For example, because of a vocational change a man is asked to move, which will make him miss his friends immensely. He would like God either to take away his yearning for his friends or allow him to stay put. He wants life on one track. Mourning for the loss of relationships speaks well of the man; however, to be undone and refuse the move does not. 

Running on one track and forcing everything to fit within the one theme can be destructive. A woman visiting me proclaimed, “I am a terrible Christian. The Bible says, ‘In everything give thanks,’ but my husband recently died and I cannot stop crying.” True, the Bible does say that. It also gives accounts of many men of God as they tore their clothes in anguish at the news of the death of a loved one. It is legitimate to weep but may be illegitimate to weep for years. We need to accept that in our Christian life there are more tracks than one that run parallel concurrently.    

Unbelieving man wants to systematize God so that everything is on one track. This order would alleviate the unknown and relieve us of the necessity to exercise our faith. God has never been, nor can He be, systematized. We are not Muslims who base their lives in teaching and creed. Rather, our lives center around a person, a relationship. This leads to situations such as being urged to honor father and mother, and yet at the same time being warned to reject father and mother if they get in the way of following Christ. In a relationship with Christ both truths are possible, for in Him we can love and honor the parents, but Him comes before them, and so if parents want to come before Christ they are not covered by Matthew 15:4 but are under the command of Matthew 10:37.

           

I am not saying that the Christian life is one of balance; that would be Taoism. We are not attempting to find the middle ground. Instead, every issue in life is a coin with two sides, and it takes both sides, though they can be opposing, to make up the coin. Whether one side is legitimate and the other is illegitimate depends upon the Lord’s leading in the situation.

Yellow – VIP, Very Important Point      Green – IT, Incredible Truth        

Red – GP, Greatest Promises

Turquoise – UR, Unfathomable Riches           Pink – PV, Priceless Victory

Relationship and fellowship with God are two sides of the Christian coin that are not opposing one another.  Michael points out that our lives center around Christ, and not anything or anyone else.  Complex sometimes, but never complicated.  His Mind keeps “complication” at bay.  Christ’s Word always takes us to Him.  What could be any more uncomplicated?

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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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