Living and Active

Sunday, I posted on FB: "I am sad to see people scatter, even if they are going where they need to be."

Monday, I read Nehemiah 1: "If you come back to me and do what I tell you, I'll gather up all these scattered peoples from wherever they ended up and put them back in the place I chose to mark with my Name."

I'm not suggesting He's going to bring all of my best friends back to me, but I am suggesting that I need to be reading my Bible more. I forget that it's gripping, relevant, helpful. Francis Chan calls it "spiritual amnesia":

"No matter how many fascinating details we learn about God's creation, we still forget. Most of us know that we are supposed to love and fear God...But actually living it out is challenging...When we love God because we feel we should love Him, instead of genuinely loving out of our true selves, we have forgotten who God really is. Our amnesia is flaring up again. In our world, where hundreds of things distract us from God, we have to intentionally and consistently remind ourselves of Him" (Crazy Love, p29).

Maybe God won't reconstitute our old group of friends, but I believe He will bless our obedience -- usually with great friendships. He's done it time and again. I just forget. I forget to trust Him. I forget who He is. Which is why, yes, I really need to read.

"For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." -- Hebrews 4:12