Losing Control (eighth in a series)

Posted on February 22, 2011 by Claudia Dickson Greggs

Everything that had its beginning before resurrection must be wiped out.  Resurrection is God’s new starting-point.

(Watchman Nee, The Normal Christian Life, p. 89)

The process of losing control always involves a kind of death and resurrection.  The theme of dying and rising to new life runs throughout the New Testament.  For instance, when Jesus tells Nicodemus he must be born again (John 3:3), Jesus means Nicodemus must put an end to the way he’s always lived his life and allow the Holy Spirit to raise up in him a new kind of life. When a person is “born again” it is the resurrected life of Jesus that takes up residence within him or her.  They begin to live in and through Jesus.  The apostle Paul puts it this way in his letter to the Galatians: …It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me… (2:20, RSV).

In the early centuries of the Christian church, baptism brought home this sense that in turning in faith to Jesus one was, in effect, dying and being raised up into a new life.   In preparation for their baptism new converts to Christianity would spend up to two years in study and prayer before officially leaving behind their old way of life and being reborn into the resurrected life of Jesus.  This may seem like an inordinate amount of time to those of us living in the twenty-first century, but back then people understood that conversion to Christianity from paganism meant making a total break with Continue reading →

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Losing Control (seventh in a series)

Posted on February 15, 2011 by Claudia Dickson Greggs

Note to readers: I wrote the following article in 2006 and it was subsequently published in a slightly edited form in The Living Church magazine that same year.  Because it deals with the topic of will power and the observance of Lent it seems appropriate to post it now, on Careful For Nothing, as the 2011 season of Lent approaches.  — Claudia Dickson

I grew up with the habit of giving something up for Lent.  Perhaps you did also.  In the days leading up to Ash Wednesday, I would ponder what I would be willing to give up for 40 very long days.  Sometimes I would simply choose something I wouldn’t miss very much, like pretzels.  Yet, often enough, I would choose something like ice cream or chocolate; something that would require real will power to resist. And at the end of those 40 days I felt like an athlete who had just won a marathon – a bit worn out from the daily temptations, but triumphant just the same.

Yet, in the end, what did all that sacrifice accomplish?  Well, I proved to myself – and others – that I have will power.  But is this something God needs for us to acquire?  Are we to observe Lent by proving that we can deny ourselves something?  Was it will power that Jesus was developing in the wilderness, where he was sent upon the heels of his baptism?

Let’s think about this for a moment.  Mark’s gospel tells us that the Holy Spirit drove Jesus out into the wilderness for forty days, where he was tempted by Satan.  Matthew and Luke also add that Jesus fasted for the duration.  His baptism had been his public commissioning for ministry by his Father.  Yet, before disciples can be called and people’s lives transformed, Jesus himself needs some time to ponder and focus upon his call – and be disciplined for it – by allowing God to prepare him for the kind of service that would be required of him.

So, was it will power God was looking for in Jesus?  Determination to get the job done? Continue reading →

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Losing Control (sixth in a series)

Posted on February 8, 2011 by Claudia Dickson Greggs

Anything we can do without prayer and without an utter dependence upon God must come from the spring of natural life that is tainted with the flesh. (Watchman Nee, The Normal Christian Life, p. 232)

This week I continue with the topic of will power by describing some of the signs which may indicate we’re exerting self will instead of acting in faithful obedience to God’s will. Mary’s insightful comments to my post last week are so helpful as we look at the motivations prompting our efforts.  She described how God asked her what her reaction would be if someone else accomplished, perhaps even better, the very thing she felt called to do. Would she rejoice that His will had been done? In asking ourselves such questions we may discover we’re being motivated by pride instead of a faithful desire to serve God and give him the honor due his name.

I know all too well how easy it is to turn service into self-promotion.  Each week, as I write for this blog and pray for the Lord’s will to be done through it, I have to address issues of pride that arise.  But I’m also thankful such pride is revealed because I don’t want to operate under the influence of will power. I’ve done that too many times in the past and the effects are so injurious to my spiritual well-being.

I can remember back twelve years ago when I began a writing project because I felt called by God to do so.  But it quickly turned into an effort where I felt I had to prove Continue reading →

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