Saturday, February 12, 2011

Don't Confuse it with Navel Gazing...

If you do confuse it with navel gazing, and thereby choose to avoid it, you will miss out on an amazing transformation of not only yourself...but your country...and perhaps even your world...

I saw Dave Blundell of Hungry for Life on 100 Huntley Street a few weeks ago. He was being interviewed about his recently released book Hungry For Life: A Vision of the Church that Would Transform the World. (click on the 100 Huntley link to view the interview)

When I looked up the book on Amazon I saw that one of the reviewers accused him of encouraging navel gazing. I have not read Dave’s book…yet. But I know him and have heard him speak many times. He is one who encourages people to look honestly into themselves in a way that draws them closer to the LORD and challenges them to live out His Word.

I think that we sometimes confuse ‘navel gazing’ with ‘humbling’ ourselves… which starts with what may feel like navel gazing but doesn't stay there. I want to draw your attention to one of my favorite Old Testament verses:

If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. II Chronicles 7:14.


Follow the steps of this powerful verse:

Humble youself…Maybe a little navel gazing involved at this point but then...

Pray…

Seek His Face….no longer gazing at the navel at this point. Now looking into His wonderful eyes which then leads us to...

Turn (from wicked ways)…repentance essentially means doing a 180 degree turn..

then...God hears…

He Forgives…

He Heals Our Land…

Sure we can stay at the navel gazing stage. But that is not true humility. True humility looks inside but is then moved to pray, to seek His face, then turn.

After which a glorious thing happens!! God not only hears us but He heals our Land…

That is what Dave is talking about if I understand him correctly. He is challenging us to look honestly at our hearts to see if we are indeed getting to know God in a way that brings about the change that His Word says will be brought about when we honestly know Him. When we honestly know Him we will begin to see healing changes IN OUR LAND.

That is powerful! Let's do it...

2 comments:

  1. Hellen, while it doesn't relate perfectly, the Eagles have a song with the name of your blog.. and its about "forgiveness.."

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  2. HI Len, I'd forgotten about that song. Thanks for reminding me of it.

    I've taught all over the Fraser Valley and in Northern Mexico in various formats on the topic forgiveness since '95. And it really is the heart of the matter, isn't it?

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