As I was listening to the sermon yesterday, I was struck by how difficult it was for me to connect with it.
I love the Bible!
And to me, it makes no sense whatsoever to go about "picking and choosing" all the parts that I like while avoiding the parts that I don’t. The WHOLE Bible – every single word of it – is utterly and beautifully true. It is the very Words of God, breathed out for our life and good. So why would I ever want to treat it like an A La Carte menu?
But...
as I was sitting there, the Lord convicted me that this message was really about me.
As I sat there, I was reminded of something that happened the night before, when I had my own little A La Carte Moment. While I was on a run in my neighborhood, down a street I had never been down before, I saw a dog running toward me dragging her leash behind her. I remember looking out and seeing her owners chasing after her. But I did nothing. I just kept running. I remember thinking that I probably could have at least tried to grab her leash and wait for her owners to catch up.
But I didn't.
I just kept running like I was Forrest Gump, simply because that was what I had set out to do. I acted like my only responsibility in this world was to myself and my agenda and I avoided doing the right thing when it was not convenient for me.
That’s A La Carte!
At that moment, I did not really love my neighbor. I did not treat them like I would have wanted to be treated. Like the priest and the Levite, I walked right on by when I could have been a good Samaritan. That is A La Carte.
You see, God reminded me that I often give lip service to His Word. I say I have a high view of the Bible and that I believe every single word of it is true, but I still struggle with the most basic obedience to it. I think we all do.
With that, I hope this series will allow each of us to examine our hearts and find the areas where we still live an A La Carte lifestyle. This may be a challenging thought to process through, but it will lead to great healing. May you all be blessed.
-Kendall
