Monday, April 21, 2008

 

Unconditional Love Series

 

1 Thessalonians 5:23   “May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through.” 

 

Soul Prints

 

When I was born I had a unique set of fingerprints.   I believe, in the course of life with God, I am developing soul prints through the growth of my character.   Much of my spirituality was obeying rules.   I was careful not to smoke, drink, steal, gamble, or swear because I did not want to break the rules.   It is easy for our religion to be more about obeying rules than loving God.   It is much harder to grow by seeking God’s loving guidance than it is to just follow a list of rules.  

 

I think it is indeed two different concepts:  One, to not do something because it is against the rules or two, to live proactively in a relationship with God.   Relationship with God may mean that from time to time we put aside the rules to follow the guidance of our Savior.   From personal experience I have discovered that some long-standing arbitrary rules in my life can become ruts.   What God wants from me is a unique soul print so acquired because I have come to love and adore Him and not be a slave to rules.  

 

The most famous rule follower who radically changed was St. Paul.   He went from compulsive reiterator of the Jewish law to a truly great Christian man.   St. Paul set aside the finger prints of Jewish legalism to embrace the soul prints of a fluid relationship with his Savior.    Paul knew that our lives develop character through suffering.   In the struggles we face we develop a true depth to our soul that we would never have if we were just rule followers.   Paul said in Romans 5 as he spoke about how we can rejoice in hope through suffering.  

…..but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.   And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

These lines speak of a true relationship with God that is beyond a legalistic adherence to rules.  

 

We are born with fingerprints but it is really up to us if we develop enough to die with soul prints.   It is possible to live our lives and never really develop true character through God.   Following the rules is not all bad but when our religion is just about rules and not about relationship with God or others, then our faith fails to develop and is no deeper than lipstick.   Yes, we are born with fingerprints but it certainly is something else to die with soul prints. 

 

Prayer:

Dear God, help me to develop character and a depth of being through the development of our souls.   Amen.