Thursday, July 10, 2008

Steady Oliver the Kingdom Builder, and other stories

My blogging friend, Kamsin, wrote a brilliant post on her blog titled losing my mind, the other day, and it got me thinking about all the stuff that I’m doing. Why do I do it? As if life isn’t already busy and complicated enough, I add blogging (which requires me to religiously update my blog daily so that people keep coming back to read what I write), then there’s Facebook, where I tell the whole world how shallow my definition of “friends” is and share whatever’s forefront on my mind at the time I log on, and in the third person no less. Finally, I twitter. I still don’t know that I get any benefit whatsoever from ‘twittering’ but I twitter none the less. Don’t misunderstand me to be knocking any of these modern tools of networking; I simply believe there’s so much more than that.

Apparently, judging by a number of blogs I’ve read lately, I’m not the only one feeling that way. My good friend Steve Hickey posted a blog a couple of days ago titled: I want to be found STEADY until the end. I simply love this post! Its primary focus is the idea that he isn’t satisfied with status quo or chasing the next ‘Christian fad’ but is desperate for more and more of God so that he can grow more “fixed and rooted.” But why am I telling you all that when you can click here and read the entire post for yourself? My wife, Sola, also posted a blog a few days ago titled: What if I asked for more? Again the premise was a patent dissatisfaction with the status quo, and a desire to “impress” God in much the same way Job did. God was so impressed by Job’s steadiness (there’s Steve’s word again), that he called Satan’s attention to observe Job.

Finally, I read a guest blog posted on Swerve that asked the question: Whose Kingdom Are You Building? I admired the vulnerability of the writer as he exposed his struggle with the ‘desire’ to be acknowledged and recognized (boy could I relate to that). My favorite line was “I want to do something big for God and at the same time leave a trail that leads to my web site. I am self-serving.” Then he gives us his insight as to how he wrestles with that tension through honest self-evaluation and sacrificial generosity. Again, I can relate. So with all of this ‘turmoil’ going on inside of me, I recognize that what I need is a lot more of Him and a lot less of me, and so I commit myself to studying the Scriptures, praying, and fasting as often and as diligently as possible. I want to be found STEADY, I want so much more, and I want to build His Kingdom and not mine. So, what’s happening in your neck of the woods these days?

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm tired. My bloggy thoughts are dry. I don't twitter. I don't facebook. I just don't have the time. I like to spend a minimum of an hour a day with God. I like to start my morning and end my evening with Him. Everything else has to fill whatever time is left, so if time is running out, stuff drops off the list.

I'm thinking I might take a week of the blogging and fast. Other than weekends, I've rarely missed a day except for weekends. :)

Ash said...

First off: You mentioned the good is all this social networking: check out this story...you may have heard it...
http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/07/10/maree.freed/index.html?iref=newssearch

we also ran one recently about a guy who lost his job w/ yahoo and b/c he recorded his experience of his last day and being fired on twitter and through social networks...others were waiting to see his resume as soon as he left yahoo. cool story.

i think it's important that we're always drawing closer to God, but he also made us for relationship and being able to connect w/ people all over the world who are wrestling w/ life as we are. that is satisfaction i cannot get enough of...i am constantly learning and thinking and growing and discovering more of my Creator through people he created.

some food for thought.....

Anonymous said...

Joseph - as I read your blog I am amazed at the similar turmoil that many God chasers are dealing with at this very moment. I have blogged a couple of times this week about furthering the kingdom and praising him through even in the most difficult of situations. Forever Longing is my blog title as I am dissatisfied with the status quo. There is a common theme which leads me to believe that something really big is right around the corner. More God!

Joseph said...

Hope, I hear you sister. I can relate.

Ashley, thanks for the link, I'll be sure to check it out.

Forever longing, it really is the same Spirit that puts this hunger and restlessness in our hearts so that we desire more of Him. Thanks for joining the conversation.

Anonymous said...

Glad you liked my post! I guess one reason why I continue to blog is that it helps to keep me in the moment and to focus on the here and now. I have a tendency to be constantly thinking about future plans and possibilities and miss what's actually going on around me. I find blogging helps me to counter that.
It's also a great way to connect with people I wouldn't normally connect with.
But yeah, I think I may need to restrict me FB-ing as it seems to be taking over my brain, not to mention my life!