Somewhere between who I was and who You’re making me

A normal posting schedule is looking more and more impossible lately. Things have been completely hectic at work, home, pretty much everywhere. But I will try to keep posting as much as I can. That said, I give you this post that I should've done last week. But hey, God works things out at the perfect time, so today is evidently the day I should be talking about this!
Today I'm taking another line from the song "Caught in the Middle." This is one that constantly gets me. I'm somewhere between who I was and who God is making me. But there are many days where I feel like I'm getting nowhere. I feel like I'm stuck and can't move one step further. I want to move closer to that person God is shaping me into, but the old me keeps pulling me back to what I used to be.
And I know that one of the reasons I am stuck in the past is because I keep remembering the things I left behind. Paul very clearly tells us in Philippians 3:13 that we are to forget the things that are behind. Those things should no longer rule our thought lives. Because if they rule our thought lives, they will eventually rule our actions. The things you focus on are the things you do.
So the other half of Philippians 3:13 is what I need to do in order to move forward. I need to reach forth to those things that are ahead of me. That's what I need to focus on. Because the life God has for me is SO much better than anything I left in the past.
When I think about this line, I'm reminded of two people. Lot's wife and Paul. See, these two chose two very different paths. Lot's wife gave up the life God gave her because her past was too important for her to give up. Looking back to her past destroyed her spiritually.
Then there's Paul. He penned the verse I've been talking about today, along with a huge number of other verses in the New Testament. From the day he was saved, Paul looked ahead. That was his only choice. And in looking ahead he went from being one of the most feared persecutors of Christians to being one of the boldest proclaimers of Christ. No, his life wasn't always easy, but he always had hope. Men harmed his physical body, but they could never touch the peace in his soul.
I don't know about you, but I'd much rather be like Paul. I want to be known as one who stood strong, even in the hardest times. I don't want to look back at my past and let it destroy me. I want to press toward the future God has for me. Like Paul, I want to press toward the prize.
Philippians 3:14, "I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."

Somewhere Between the Hot and the Cold

Well, I know that I had promised to start this series yesterday, but things have been hectic. The first phrase of the song really hit me. I mean how many times am I between the hot and the cold? I know I don't want to be there, but there are so many times that lukewarm is right where I end up.
A few weeks back our tub decided to go crazy. How exactly does a tub go crazy? Well, we're not sure exactly, but for some reason the way you turn the spicket for hot became the way you turned the spicket for cold. And vice versa. However, we didn't realize that there was hot anywhere for a couple of days. And the hottest water we could get was lukewarm at best.
Let me just say that I can testify as to why lukewarmness makes God want to spue! Because when it comes to bath water, there is nothing less than hot that is exceptable (well right now I can't have hot, hot, but you know what I mean.)
But how many times do I expect less than hot in my Christian life. I mean sure I go to church. I listen. I take notes. I read a verse here and there. But does it go past that. Do I let what I hear and read change me? Do I do these things simply out of habit? I must say definitely say, "Oh me!" right there. Because there are way too many times that it simply becomes routine, and I forget the TRUE meaning I'm doing any of this.
I don't know about you, but I want to be hot. I don't want to be someone who makes God spue like in Revelation 3:15-16,

"15I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
16So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth."

I want my life to be one that is on fire for Christ. I want that to be a fire that I can't hold within (Jeremiah 20:9). Because when I really remember why I do what I do, it's the most exciting thing that has ever happened to me. Definitely something to get fired up over!

Caught In the Middle

I'm not sure how many of you have heard Casting Crowns's new CD, but if you haven't let me just tell you GO. BUY. IT. NOW. Seriously, a great CD.

One of my favorites from the CD is the song, "Caught in the Middle." Check out these lyrics:

Written by Mark Hall
© 2007 My Refuge Music/Club Zoo Music/SWECS Music (BMI) (admin. by EMI CMG Publishing)
Somewhere between the hot and the cold
Somewhere between the new and the old
Somewhere between who I am and who I used to be
Somewhere in the middle, You’ll find me
Somewhere between the wrong and the right
Somewhere between the darkness and the light
Somewhere between who I was and who You’re making me
Somewhere in the middle, You’ll find me
Just how close can I get, Lord, to my surrender without losing all control

Fearless warriors in a picket fence,
reckless abandon wrapped in common sense
Deep water faith in the shallow end and we are caught in the middle
With eyes wide open to the differences,
the God we want and the God who is
But will we trade our dreams for His or are we caught in the middle
Are we caught in the middle

Somewhere between my heart and my hands
Somewhere between my faith and my plans
Somewhere between the safety of the boat and the crashing waves
Somewhere between a whisper and a roar
Somewhere between the altar and the door
Somewhere between contented peace and always wanting more
Somewhere in the middle You’ll find me
Just how close can I get, Lord, to my surrender without losing all control

Lord, I feel You in this place and I know You’re by my side
Loving me even on these nights when I’m caught in the middle

Several of the phrases of this song slapped me right in the face on my way home last night. Because honestly there are many times when I have been "Caught in the Middle." So for the next several posts, I'm gonna be focusing in on some of those phrases.
Hope you'll join me!