Equation

Equation has several meanings and today, I select this one: the process of equating one thing with another. I am alarmed lately, with the reckless abandonment of God in the equation. God has been energetically kicked to the curb. The sad thing is, this is not new, it is as old as the sneaky slithery serpent that showed his selfish soul so long ago. What does it mean, to equate one thing with another? I am thinking of character traits and the active development of said traits. So lets take honesty as a valued trait and see how this relates to humans and equates with God. If you believe in the God of the bible, you know that He is incapable of lying, that betraying His nature as Truth disallows lying as a possibility. Can you relate, equate with this standard and appropriate this higher than the sky level of honesty, Dear One? I know I cannot but, but, I strive for it as the gold standard of practice because my God has told me I can do all things, through Christ, who strengthens me. Is it easy to be honest all of the time? Oh my gosh, no! Our human nature leads us toward self preservation and this might mean bending the truth in order to keep the peace, accommodate another, save someone or ourselves from hurt feelings...the list goes on. What I love about the example of the living God, Jesus of the people who walked the streets and spoke to the crowds, is He spoke the truth in love, and it wasn't always the easiest thing for people to hear. He saw people as they were; thieves, liars, sneaky, adulterous, and He spoke directly to their sin and asked them to sin no more. He had a way of saying cut it out, stop doing what you are doing. People could see in Him what they could have for themselves and it made them long for a better way of living. They did not equate themselves with God, with this Jesus they saw. They realized they could never be Him and at the same time, they realized how much they wanted to be, just like Him. To be just like Jesus in the longing of every believer and to be just like Him means we have to draw near to the Good Shepherd. He modelled for us what it looks, sounds and feels like to be in the presence of Truth-He calls us to higher ground. The deceiver would have us follow him to the dark corners of the soul, the ones that keep us hiding from the Light and exposure to the ugly parts of what we think, say and do and what others think, say and do. He would have us equate sin with pleasure and the good life. He would have us mired in the muck with him by having us lie to ourselves and one another. You and I, we cannot be God and we dare not equate ourselves thusly-but we do not have to except the lowly offerings of the evil one, the one that would have us destroy our God given and accessible traits, by trading them in for cheap substitutes, nasty pseudo imitations of ourselves. In plain language, we are Gods children and we can claim our place in the family by modelling after His Perfect Son. Honestly, are you honest with yourself and others? What standards do you measure your life by? Is the God of the bible your guide to what is good, true and right? Have you kicked Him to the curb Dear One? If so, how willing are you to return, head hung low in repentance, and forsake all others for God Almighty? In the equation of life and death, there is One who offers life abundant, and He wants YOU. We are, after all is said and done, the company we keep.