Spiritual Fire Drill

Why do we practice fire drills? The answer to that may seem obvious. But how often when the lights start flashing in your office do you take that seriously? Sometimes you know it’s a drill, but other times, it just happens. I know in the past, when it “just happens”, I find myself among my colleagues, wandering the hall questioning if it’s genuine or just an electrical malfunction of sorts. Why don’t we just get out?

I’ve heard stories of people dying in a fire, still sitting in their seats. They didn’t even move! Studies have shown that practicing mitigation of calamitous situations increases your ability to survive if (or when) they actually come. So it makes complete sense that those with a greater chance of survival in these situations are those with military, police, fire, ambulatory experience. This makes me think I should get out when the lights start flashing every time, and let the professionals tell me if it’s a false alarm.

Thankfully I’ve never experienced a major catastrophic “Act of God” as insurance companies like to define these sorts of things. However, experience has taught me there is no difference in my spiritual life when it comes to planning for disaster. It makes no sense to wait for tragedy to hit to see what we’re made of. This doesn’t mean I should live in fear of what could happen, because – let’s face it – some of the things we know could happen may never actually come into play in our lives. So how do we prepare ourselves for every possible calamity that may oppress us? You can’t. But I think living in naiveté increases your risk. So be aware. Learn from others’ stories. Never think “that can’t happen to me”. But don’t live in fear.

I’ve been thinking about this whole concept lately because of something I’ve been struggling with in my spiritual life. In Luke 14:26, Jesus says, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters – yes, even their own life – such a person cannot be my disciple.” I’m sure Jesus doesn’t mean that we literally hate those that are closest to us. After all, He also notes that we should love our neighbors and our enemies alike. But – and I’ve written about this before – I think He says this in Luke 14:26 because He wants to know “am I enough?” If everything you have – possessions, wealth, health, relationships – all goes away, is Jesus enough?

I love my life. I really like all the stuff I have. I’m extremely happy with my health. I love my kids. And I REALLY love my wife. And I have to think too that it this applies to what people think of me… even those I value most. So not just material possessions or having people in my life, but even the opinion these people have of me. None of these things are bad – we should appreciate the material possessions we have, and we’re commanded to love. But take them away from me, and what do I become? Is what God has given me, and who He has placed in my life, more important than Him? Do I value my wife’s opinion of me more than God’s?

So yeah… I’ve been struggling with loving stuff and people more than God Himself. I’ve felt down because of perceived opinions people have of me. I’ve been meditating, and praying to Him, to keep my mind and heart focused on the importance of Him in my life. If I truly follow Him, then opinions of me by others don’t really matter. The loss of anything, or anyone, in my life is a result of sin. Everything dies and passes away because of sin in this world. But Christ has overcome sin, and at the end, He reigns!

But there’s that fine line… you have to live in the mindset that it / they could all be gone tomorrow, yet love and appreciate them today like they’ll always be there. God wants us to love passionately, yet realize it could all disappear. Hold tight and protect, but understand it’s not really under your control.

If I could REALLY get myself to REALLY understand that all my stuff, including my relationships, are all God’s anyway, then commending all of these into His capable hands isn’t REALLY sacrifice. I’m not giving anything up if the Maker is doing what He desires with what is already His via His divine sovereignty.

He causes it to rain on the just and unjust. Who am I to think I deserve anything that’s His? The fact of the Gospel is that I don’t. I don’t deserve any of it… anything! If He chooses to bless me, then He is free to do that. But I don’t deserve it. Praise be to God for all of the things and people in my life, which He has graciously chosen to bless me with!!!