Give it Up

Today I was in my quiet time just thinking about life in general. Much has changed in my life time, and most of it is not for the better. It seems the older society gets, the more extreme it becomes. We live in a day and age where the people are pushing the limits in everything. It is like a fight to find ones identity. Art, music, fashion, media, all of it is trying to capture the personality of something; of life, people, emotion, issues. In this ball of artistic explosion, many beautiful things have been created, but to the world it still is not enough. It will never be enough. What is the point of life when the world does not believe it was started on purpose? There is not point when God is pushed out of it.

In all of this the church still stands, and my generation is growing up and getting ready to take the baton. From what I have seen in much of the youth today is very encouraging. It seems that as the world gets more extreme, so does the youth of the church. There seems to be this drive to get into the culture and turn it around for God. It is like a reclaiming of the arts. It is very exciting.

With all of this, however, I do wonder about my place. I was talking to God about it. In James chapter 2, it speaks of how faith without works is dead. Every time I read it I get convicted because I feel like I am not doing enough works! Today, I did my best to listen as I ready and meditated. The conviction was that in order to live the life of extremity for God, I needed to have more of him; no holding back, no giving in, just walk in obedience to him. It is the plain and simple truth that I have heard many times, but it never loses its meaning or power. Just trust and walk. God will give me the opportunity to show my faith through my works, and in this, get out into the extreme world and be extremely shiny.