Lumber Yard

I was driving into work yesterday listening to either Chuck Swindoll on
the radio as he discussed how Paul was actually being judged / condemned
by several of the Christians he was attempting to minister to. Suddenly
I became overwhelmingly grieved in the spirit and I began to weep
uncontrollably. As I began to try and grasp what was causing me to
mourn so, I was reminded of Lordship.

See even though we may accept Christ as our Lord and Savior, it doesn't
mean that every day we are letting Christ be the Lord of our life. What
I mean by this is, that when we overcome by worry - we are not
submitting to Lordship, when money is more of a focus than helping a
brother / sister - we have forgotten Lordship, when we would rather live
our lives the way we want instead of following His word – we are
ignoring His Lordship….the list goes on and on but for me – when you sit
in judgment of others you have completely missed the point of Lordship.



I realized at that moment that when I was a baby Christian (and even
sometimes now) that I had sat in judgment of the very mentors God had
put in my life. When they asked me to do something or pointed something
out in my life where I needed to change and I felt they couldn't relate
(ex. I was married, they weren't – I had kids, they didn't), I would sit
in judgment. "They don't understand because they are not married." "If
they had kids then they might think differently" were just some of the
thoughts that went through my head at the time. Regardless of whether
there was merit to my thoughts, the point is that if I had been
submitting completely to the Lordship of my Savior then judgment should
not have been a part of my life. This doesn't mean that you don't ever
question your mentors, because the word tells us "But examine everything
carefully; hold fast to that which is good;" 1 Thess 5:21 NASB, but when
your constant judgments are leading to frustration, anger, and general
contempt then Lordship is no longer a focus.

So at this point you are probably asking yourselves what this all has to
do with a lumber yard. Well in this time of trying to ponder what God
was trying to tell me, I was reminded of Matt 7:1-5 which states, "Do
not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge
others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be
measured to you. 3 "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your
brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How
can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,'
when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite,
first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly
to remove the speck from your brother's eye." In essence, I have
several friends that I need to write this weekend in order to start
clearing out the lumber yard in my eye. I feel God telling me that in
order to be fully under His Lordship, I must not only repent to Him, but
to those I have judged in the past as well.

Do you have your own personal lumber yard you are working on? Are there
friends, coworkers, or family members that you sit in judgment of from
day to day. I ask you to prayerfully consider reconciliation with them
this Christmas season. Because whether you realize it or not, such
judgments are a rift in your relationship and are keeping you from full
growth in your relationship with the Lord. The word tells us in Matt
5:23-24: "Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and
there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, 24
leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled
to them; then come and offer your gift." (this goes both ways). Even
if the issue is something from years ago (as it is in my case) I believe
this reconciliation will have an immense impact on your spiritual walk
and in your life in general.

My Prayer:
"Lord, thank you for showing me where I am failing to give you full
control of my life. Please help me to see the other areas where I may
be holding back, and therefore impeding my relationship with you.
Forgive me for my judgment of others and thank you for your continued
Grace and unconditional love. Open my eyes, that I may look upon others
as you do….without judgment. Encourage those that read this to be
reconciled in their own broken relationships where judgment, anger, or
jealousy may have gotten in the way. Praise be to your name forever.
AMEN!