Close Enough

I was visiting friends. The wife had made wonderful oxtail, that kind that makes you napkin sticks to your fingers. This is where my brakes come off and my stomach doesn't even see the "I'm full" sign.

The conversation was as good as the oxtail and I couldn't stop listening to the goodness. Piece by piece his life story played out before us. After losing his job in 2007, he decided that this country no longer had any future for him. He started on the visa process for starting a new life down under.

But in a miraculous way he slowly started seeing that God had other plans for him and that his calling was here. God wanted to use him here to make a difference in other people's lives. Simple things, like putting some of his employees and the head of a security company into a kombi and driving to a Mighty Men conference. But also major things, like one of the people on his payroll working full-time to make a difference among those less fortunate in our country.

He built up a company from nothing, a company that now takes care of a number of families. Yes, the economic climate also often rocks his boat from side to side, but in a way he knows that he is obeying God's call and is exactly where God wants him to be

And that is because he lives close to God and is sensitive to the Lord's guidance in his life. He learnt to see God's guidance in his everyday experiences. Now others can look up to him. Now others can learn from him how a man of God does business and what you focus on. No one can point fingers. Even though the financial outlook is not so good, he will ensure that his decisions and actions are always above reproach. He knows what the right choices are, because he is in tune with God.

After a couple of hours of sleep it was my quiet time with God. Surprised, I saw my friend's story replayed in this Scripture: 9So this is my prayer: that your love will flourish and that you will not only love much but well. Learn to love appropriately. 10You need to use your head and test your feelings so that your love is sincere and intelligent, not sentimental gush. Live a lover's life, circumspect and exemplary, a life Jesus will be proud of...

I don't know if my friend sees it the same way, but he is living exactly the way that Paul is praying for. Because he is living close enough to God, he makes choices that turns other people's lives around. Even if it looks good for a person to go in a certain direction, he could walk God's different road. There is definitely a connection between living close to God and making good choices.

As I look back at my own life I see a number of not so good choices. I even see a number of relationships that failed as a result of wrong choices. That happened in times when my relationship with God was not good. I was not close enough to God to experience his guidance.

Maybe we should do what my friend did and pray with Paul. We must live closer to Jesus. We must be prepared to learn from our spiritual experiences. Yes, then we will make the right choices and nobody will be able to point a finger in our direction. Our relationship with God will be right...

Bible Reading

Philippians 1:3-11

Reflection

How close to Jesus are you living?

What is the quality of your choices?

Do you spend enough time with God?

Prayer

Father, I realize that the results of many of my choices are linked to how close to or how far from You I was living. I long to live closer to You. Everywhere I go I want to make a difference to others, but I really need You for that. Amen

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 By Gerjo Ben Van Der Merwe


Article Source: Close Enough