Stimulus

All of us, if we have been paying any attention at all to the news have heard all kinds of spins on the economic stimulus package. I must admit, I am a bit of a skeptic about where our country is headed with this whole thing but it has given me cause to reflect on just exactly what a stimulus is.

So I went to the handy-dandy website and typed in the word "stimulus". This is the result of my search:

something that incites to action or exertion or quickens action, feeling, thought, etc

We are all looking for something to spur our sluggish economy into action. But what about a spiritual stimulus?

Lately, I have been spending some time in the Old Testament book of Hosea. If you haven't ever read it - take a look at it. Talk about a stimulus.

Hosea 6:1-3 "Come, let us return to the LORD. He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us; he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds.
After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will restore us, that we may live in his presence. Let us acknowledge the LORD; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth."

Want to have a new fresh view on your life? Want to get rid of that sluggish spiritual economy? Then return to the Lord. Look at the steps that Hosea gives in these verses. First of all, acknowledge the Lord. What does that mean to you? I am getting a whole different view of that. If I believe that Jesus is Lord, then every word of every command must be obeyed. No question. Is that even possible? I believe that it is. If not, then why would God have said in His word -

1 Peter 1:16
for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy."

Next it says to press on to acknowledge Him. Don't quit. Don't give up. I bet that if we would be diligent in acknowledging His Lordship and following His commands and being obedient to what His Word says - we would see a spiritual stimulus that could turn the world upside down.

Ready to give it a try?

Fame

Remember my name. Fame!
I'm gonna live forever
I'm gonna learn how to fly--high!

I feel it comin' together
People will see me and cry. Fame!
I'm gonna make it to heaven
Light up the sky like a flame. Fame!
I'm gonna live forever
Baby, remember my name

Yesterday while I was working out at Curves I heard this song and even though I have heard it probably hundreds of times in my life the words really hit me. "I'm gonna live forever, I'm gonna make it to heaven..." All words meant to pump up the person who listens to it. The person singing this song is wishing to be remembered - and it is all going to come by fame.

So then as is typical of my nature I started thinking about fame. Famous people - like Abraham Lincoln or Coby Bryant or Madam Curie or Ben Roethlisberger or Al Capone, all famous people all people who when their names are mentioned they are remembered. Some for good things - some for not so good.

Why is it that we strive so to be remembered? Is it because we want to give meaning to this brief period of our eternity that is spent here on earth? If we are not remembered does that mean that nothing we did was worth anything? Or is it just that we have put way too much stock in what others think of us? I know for me personally, the latter is the truth. I have spent way too much time worrying about what people may say or think about me. If I spent even 1/10th of the amount of time thinking about what God thinks of me I would find my time better spent.

In reality people don't think too much about us. Oh maybe our loved ones do and of course there are very dear friends who think of us at random times during the day but the reality is that people just don't spend that much time thinking about each other. They spend a lot more time thinking about themselves. We become so self-absorbed and jockeying for position whether it be in our work world, our church world or even in our homes. We want to be the best, the prettiest, the smartest, the funniest and on and on the list goes. But does anybody really care?

God's word speaks to us about having our hearts and minds consumed with the things of this world. In I John the apostle talks of how we are to love not the world for when we do the love of the Father is not in us. We also are told that we should not show partiality to those that we think can do the most for us. We are to treat each person with equality. And that includes even ourselves. That means that when we are tempted to put ourselves first and trample someone else on the way up - that we need to recognize the sin of idolatry and put an end to it.

Fame is fleeting. Maybe in this life I will never be known for anything. Maybe people will not remember my name. Maybe that is a good thing. All I know for certain is that my destiny is in God's hands. And I choose to surrender all the acolades of this life for a crown when I see Jesus. I want to be able to lay a crown at the feet of my Savior and say "Thank you, Dear Lord." This can only be accomplished by putting myself behind others. Crucifying the flesh that threatens to be my undoing.

Rather than singing the words to "Fame" in the days and weeks to come I pray that the words of this old hymn will be the theme of my life.

Oh! to be like Thee, blessed Redeemer,
This is my constant longing and prayer;
Gladly I’ll forfeit all of earth’s treasures,
Jesus, Thy perfect likeness to wear.
Refrain:
Oh! to be like Thee, oh! to be like Thee,
Blessed Redeemer, pure as Thou art;
Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness;
Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.
Oh! to be like Thee, full of compassion,
Loving, forgiving, tender and kind,
Helping the helpless, cheering the fainting,
Seeking the wand’ring sinner to find.
Oh! to be like Thee, lowly in spirit,
Holy and harmless, patient and brave;
Meekly enduring cruel reproaches,
Willing to suffer, others to save.
Oh! to be like Thee, Lord, I am coming,
Now to receive th’ anointing divine;
All that I am and have I am bringing,
Lord, from this moment all shall be Thine.
Oh! to be like Thee, while I am pleading,
Pour out Thy Spirit, fill with Thy love,
Make me a temple meet for Thy dwelling,
Fit me for life and Heaven above.