Of Decreasing and Increasing

It was Jesus' cousin, John the Baptist, who said of the Lord, "He must increase, but I must decrease." (John 3:30) I've decided to make this statement something of a "theme verse" for the New Year.

There are lots of ways I need to decrease. I want to decrease physically (it would be nice to drop 15 pounds or so this year), but that's such a cliché New Year's resolution. I want to decrease emotionally -- I had enough of the roller-coaster last year, and am ready for some "smooth sailing" and rock-steady predictability. I want to decrease spiritually -- to get out of the way of God, to diminish my own agenda and desires, to fade until there's little left but Christ.

And I want to see the Lord increase. I want to go deeper in my relationship with him, fueled by an intense honesty and vulnerability and willingness to let him shine a blazingly bright light into whatever dark shadows he might find in my soul. I want to be constantly aware of his blessings, and I want to pour out gratitude and worship in abundance. I want to see his kingdom increase in our church as people surrender their lives to him and embrace the adventure of grace.

Less of me. Less of us. And lots, lots more of him. That's my focus for the year. (I'll try to be vulnerable here and let you know how it's going... *grin*)

I've been working on my message for this Sunday, and I find myself struggling with the closing. We're going to be looking at a rather familiar story of contrasts this week in which Jesus invites us to a deeper intimacy with him. And as I've studied and tried to organize my thoughts, my mind keeps wandering in different directions and trying to apply the lessons of this message in different ways. It kind of feels all scattered to me, but it also feels directed by the Spirit. It's like I can almost hear Jesus' voice inviting me to draw closer to him in one area, and then in a completely different situation, and then to see him at work in yet another aspect of life. Christ isn't satisfied with being close to us in a private intimate way; it's almost as if our deepest intimacy is best when it's experienced in the broadest, most all-encompassing way in every area of life we can think of... and even that isn't enough.

So deep that we'll never reach the bottom, and so wide that we'll never see the end. And yet he invites us to explore it all and be totally engulfed in his grace. And it's in this relationship that I find it easy to decrease while he increases. I really am so very, very small in the presence of his infinite love and power. It's kind of mind-boggling and humbling and deeply encouraging all at once.

I don't know if that makes any sense; I can't quite wrap my mind around it, either, which is why I'm struggling to find words for my message this week. But whatever it is, it's wonderful.

Lord, diminish me. Magnify yourself. Be glorified. I am but a mist that appears and vanishes, but you are eternal. All my greatest efforts to serve you are so insignificant in comparison with your wonders. Thank for loving us. Thank you for desiring us. Help me sit at your feet and listen...