God's Passion

Here is a parable, well sorta. I thought of how sad this story would be if it were true. The sad thing is it probably is. So just for your information: This is NOT a true story-

There once was a man, a musician named Alexander. He was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana. He was an aspiring musician, who was well on his way to the top. He had lowly beginnings on the bad side of town. He had never met his dad, and his Mother had gone insane after losing her oldest son. Alexander was the second child, and least favorite. He had started playing an old acoustic guitar he had found in the gutter, dropped by probably a homeless person. He started playing on street corners for money, when his mom spent all of their money on booze. He had quickly gotten quite good, but his mom kept stealing his money for booze. He moved out and, yes, lived in the street. A local musican heard him and let him play around with his guitars. Alexander soon started playing small gigs here and there, and he became more frequent.

One night after the show he was going to hang out with some of his street buddies. Long story short, he ended up high. He loved the way the drugs made him feel. Pretty soon, he was moving through the drug world, experiencing some of the more dangerous drugs. In just a few short weeks he became addicted to heroine. He needed it so much he couldn't even play a show with out taking it. He didn't have any passion for his music. He was just playing for the money so he could buy more. After a show one night, he was doing his usual routine, when he used a dirty needle. The infection spread, turning his whole arm black. The only thing that would make the pain go away was more drugs. He started using more and more, until his money ran out. Without the drugs he couldn't play because his arm hurt so much. He checked into a local hospital, where the doctor said that the infection had spread too far. The doctor said that he would do everything he could to stop it.

The next day a elderly woman came in to see Alexander. It was his mom, who was now clean and had been searching for him. His mom wanted him to get well, and come home with her, to live the life they had wanted. He wanted that desperately. He asked for his guitar, and he started playing his songs for his mother, who had never actually heard them. he played slow because the pain was too much. but as he was moaning out his beautiful lyrics, he flat lined. the disturbing beep, was the last music he heard. Some say that after he was dead the his fingers were still moving playing his songs.

Now what does that have to do with us? Well, Sometimes we are blinded by one of our passions. In Alexanders case that was his drugs. That could be anything for us, sports, girlfriends/boyfriends, job, anything that your passionate about. Sometimes that passion can get in the way of God's calling. You see we each have a specific calling from God. its our mission if we choose to accept it. Now Satan places snares and roadblocks to hinder us from our calling. He uses our own passions, sometimes he uses good passions like leading worship, or teaching the bible. We need to realize what our calling is.

Next year I will be a junior in high school, and will need to start figuring out what I am going to do. I need to seek God's will. I'm not writing this to you because I'm perfect, haha I'm writing this to you because I'm struggling with this! We all make mistakes, just like Alexander did. He let his drug use get in the way of his real passion and calling. He let it become so bad that he didn't even want to do his real passion, His drug abuse got so bad that not only did it blind him from his calling, it hindered him and eventually killed him. Sometimes I think what are my Passions that will hinder me from God's call. Sometimes I think that God has a passion for us, a passion to see us Live our lives to the fullest. I don't mean that in a secular way, but in a worship way. Christ Tomlin put it beautifully: "we were made to worship" So I think when we leave God to pursue other things he is like "what are you doing?!?" Don't go that way or something like that. Another thing that I think breaks God's heart is when your on the right path, and you fall away.

The song "Come Thou fount" was written by 18th century Methodist pastor and hymnist Robert Robinson. it has beautiful lyrics and poetry. Near the end of his life he had fallen away from Christ. A story, possibly apocryphal, is sometimes told of Robinson that one day in a stagecoach a lady asked him what he thought of the hymn "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing." He responded, "Madam, I am the poor unhappy man who wrote that hymn many years ago, and I would give a thousand worlds, if I had them, to enjoy the feelings I had then." He had left his calling being distracted by other things, and he said that he would give anything to come back. The lyrics he wrote were just for this moment!
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here’s my heart, O take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above.
That saddens me! think about God!!!! If you get anything out of this, get this:That God loves you and has a passion for you. He has a call, a will, a mission for your life. Be careful that your "passions" don't disrupt God's passion.

God Bless