Beware of the Religious Compartment
So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God
1 Corinthians 10:31
Religious Compartment - What is a religious compartment? How many 'compartments' do we have in our lives? Do we have a religious compartment and an 'all other' compartment? Let's think about this.......... I will admit, I googled Religious Compartment. Not that I don't trust Joyce, but I was anxious to see what was on the internet about this topic.
Gandhi said "I claim that human mind or human society is not divided into watertight
compartments called social, political and religious. All act and react upon one
another." - ah wisdom.
Gandhi said "I claim that human mind or human society is not divided into watertight
compartments called social, political and religious. All act and react upon one
another." - ah wisdom.
When I was growing up, my mother kept 'religious compartments'. We would go to religious instruction on Saturday morning and went to mass either Saturday 5:00 Mass or Sunday morning Mass...and unfortunately in my home there weren't bible stories, or veggie tales - we did say our prayers at bedtime and sometimes Grace at dinner, but for the most part, religion was definitely compartmentalized. I don't remember a time when WWJD came into play, it just didn't cross over into daily activities. There truly was a SACRED compartment and an "All Other" or a secular compartment in my house.
Unfortunately I then got into this same routine with my own children. Sunday mornings were church times, sometimes we would go at other times for special events, and always for vacation bible school. Still very compartmentalized.
I look back now and I'm sad. I am sure I am not alone. Many years were wasted in not giving God the glory he deserved every day and in all things. Our scripture above says: whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Not just Sunday morning or when we feel like it - but every day and every single thing we do MUST bring Him glory! We cannot live for Jesus on only Sunday mornings, Wednesday nights, or just on nights we attend small groups or life groups - we have to live for Jesus 100% of the time - in everything we do, with everything we say, with every breath we take. - that means destroying the compartments we've built around our lives and letting God be the center of everything. If we are doing something that we know Jesus would say No to, then it is certainly not bringing Him glory ~ and taking it a step further - it needs to stop.
Do you find yourself convicted when you slip up and say a bad word or when you tell a lie in order to skip work ~ do you catch yourself gossiping with the neighbor and want to crawl in a hole knowing you just completely dishonored God? If not, it's time to take a look at your 'compartments'.
Everything this week has taken us back to making God a Habit. Our time management, putting Him first, reading His word ~ it all leads back to making sure He is involved in every part of our lives - not just when we are ready to open the 'religious compartment' for a church gathering.
NOW, Joyce makes a good point in her book - this isn't going to be easy. This requires lifestyle changes - changes that aren't going to be comfortable at first and may squash our lively lifestyles. Giving up things we may not be ready to give up...however, as Joyce notes in today's reading - we sometimes just want to hold onto certain things but what we don't realize is that those same things are stealing our peace an joy on a regular basis.
God promises us He is with us always, with Him we can do all things - if we will just ask, we can receive. In James 4:2 it says: "You do not have, because you do not ask". We must ask for His help, we must pray for empowerment to give Him glory in all things, we must remember who's we are. We must live by WWJD! We must ask for help in building this GOD HABIT, we are not born with it. It just doesn't come natural ~ like everything else worthwhile, we must work for it. We must invite Him into everything we do - as Gandhi said above - all compartments intersect and - there aren't any 'watertight compartments', one of which holds only 'JESUS' things. HE IS LIFE.
A couple great points Joyce made in today's reading:
-Start talking to God about everything you do. Invite Him into your activities. AND if what you are doing and where you're going aren't places He would go, then STOP, you don't need to be there either. - Prayer doesn't just change things, it also changes us - for the better.
-The more time we spend with Jesus, the more we become like Him. The bible says that as we study the Word of God, we are transformed into His image. - We then will find ourselves convicted more and more every day during our daily activities. Our compartments opened wide - and God at the center of all.
-If we are diligent in seeking Him, slowly but surely, we will become better people.
-Prayer is not an obligation, it is a privilege.
Today is Friday and this week is nearly over, I hope that you will reach out to God today and ask that he destroy your compartments, that he surround you and fill you with His presence so that everything you do will bring Him the glory he deserves.
Assignment:
NOW, Joyce makes a good point in her book - this isn't going to be easy. This requires lifestyle changes - changes that aren't going to be comfortable at first and may squash our lively lifestyles. Giving up things we may not be ready to give up...however, as Joyce notes in today's reading - we sometimes just want to hold onto certain things but what we don't realize is that those same things are stealing our peace an joy on a regular basis.
God promises us He is with us always, with Him we can do all things - if we will just ask, we can receive. In James 4:2 it says: "You do not have, because you do not ask". We must ask for His help, we must pray for empowerment to give Him glory in all things, we must remember who's we are. We must live by WWJD! We must ask for help in building this GOD HABIT, we are not born with it. It just doesn't come natural ~ like everything else worthwhile, we must work for it. We must invite Him into everything we do - as Gandhi said above - all compartments intersect and - there aren't any 'watertight compartments', one of which holds only 'JESUS' things. HE IS LIFE.
A couple great points Joyce made in today's reading:
-Start talking to God about everything you do. Invite Him into your activities. AND if what you are doing and where you're going aren't places He would go, then STOP, you don't need to be there either. - Prayer doesn't just change things, it also changes us - for the better.
-The more time we spend with Jesus, the more we become like Him. The bible says that as we study the Word of God, we are transformed into His image. - We then will find ourselves convicted more and more every day during our daily activities. Our compartments opened wide - and God at the center of all.
-If we are diligent in seeking Him, slowly but surely, we will become better people.
-Prayer is not an obligation, it is a privilege.
Today is Friday and this week is nearly over, I hope that you will reach out to God today and ask that he destroy your compartments, that he surround you and fill you with His presence so that everything you do will bring Him the glory he deserves.
Assignment:
- Think back on some areas of accomplishment in your life. Were they used to bring Glory to God? If not, what steps can you take to change the future?
- Read Acts 12:20-23 a sobering thought about God's glory. How did this verse make you feel when you read it. I didn't like it very much.
- What changes have you made in your life to incorporate The God Habit?
Dear God, thank you for being there, for being patient while we grow and study your word. Please be with us today - let today be the day that we begin making sure we give you glory in all we do or say. Convict us Father if we embark on things that you disapprove of. Destroy the compartments of our lives - where we think we can separate our relationship with YOU from other things in our lives. Bless each reader today. Allow them to feel your presence. Continue to mold us into the disciples you need us to be. We love you Father. Amen.
Ladies, our group scripture verse resonates beautifully with today's lesson - we must honor God with our bodies. That means, we must take care of them - the Holy Spirit lives in us - we should be largely convicted anytime we treat our body like anything other than a temple, a temple that houses HIM, our Heavenly Father.
Do
you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in
you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Happy Friday!
Love and Hugs,
Kelley <3
I grew us essentially the same way. We'd go to church on Sundays and that was it. As a young adult I was very distant from God until a few years ago. So many years there wasnt even a religious compartment for me and my family. Now, my kids & I talk openly and there is no religious compartment. Good post Kelley!
ReplyDeleteI get it. I thought I was doing my job with my own kids - but the issue was I didn't have a RELATIONSHIP - I had religion - or thought I did. Now I have a Relationship and what a difference that makes - your life changes in a huge way!
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