| January 16th, 2001 - What Motivates You? I remember as a child, when my Grandfather, whom we called Pop, and my Dad would take us (my brother, Danny and I) fishing. We would wake up way before dawn to the smell of fresh perked coffee and bacon and eggs frying in the skillet and we were so excited that we didn't complain about getting up that early at all! The joy and anticipation of the day's adventures, Pop's stories and humorous anecdotes, and thoughts of fishing from a small motor boat in the Mississippi tributaries motivated us to get out of our comfortable beds and get dressed. How do we motivate ourselves to face each day? Do we condition our minds with possibility thinking? Has PMA (positive mental attitude) become an acronym for Perplexed Mental Agony? Has trudging along the drudgery trail turned youthful hopes to a more "realistic" world view? Has our so called more mature outlook turned to cynical, or at best unenthused, methods of coping with life? Some spend half their youthful lives trying to escape what they perceive as a controlled environment keeping them from the freedom they long to experience, only to find out that they are trapped inside of societal molds which they spend the rest of their lives trying to change. Moving from one goal to the next, or outwardly settling for a mundane existence which never seems to fully satisfy their insatiable appetite for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Some move into relationships which seem to stifle their creativity, cramp their style, and serve only to burden rather than enhance their lives. What is it that really sets us free? What holds us back? Is it outward constraints? "...They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint." (Isaiah 40:31) The word "wait" here in the original Hebrew is an action word. This is not a passive waiting but rather implies a state of meditating on God and His word. Interestingly enough another use of the word is related to the act of forming a cocoon, or "to bind together as with twisting" is one of the definitions. We could say that this "wating" upon the Lord is completely surrounding ourselves with His word for periods of time for the purpose of getting fresh new insight (God's perspective on our lives) and motivation for the adventure ahead. Remember, Romans chapter 12, verse 2 says it this way: "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." The word "transformed" in this scripture is from the Greek word METAMORPHU and is where we get our word metamorphisis. This again implies cocoon-ing ourselves in God's Spirit and His word, for the purpose of transformation. Do you desire a whole new life with the wings to fly? The real constraint is not outward but inward. Your first step is to be born of the Spirit by receiving Christ as your Lord. The next step is to begin renewing your mind in His word, and letting Him transform you by His Spirit. Then, get ready to soar with the wings of an eagle! He will give you a whole new perspective and outlook on life. You can count on... I mean, mount on it! |