Whatever
Aug 6, 2009 Honoring God, change, different, teens set apart
The following post was written by a user of Teens Set Apart. This post may not necessarily reflect the views of T.S.A.
Whatever! Whatever you say
Whatever! I will obey.
Whatever! Lord, have your way.
Cause you are my God. Whatever!
Before Rush of Fools, Reilly, and a number of other great artists were out there singing the Gospel, Steven Curtis Chapman was already on it (and still is!), singing about life as a Christian. Ten years ago, he released his album Speechless. One of the (classic) songs on this collection is “Whatever” – all about Steven’s plans vs. God’s plans. It’s about the need to submit to what God has and give up your own desires to answer His call. When I look around in the Church today, I find a lot of teens who are all about plans – plans with friends, with family, with church, with school, with life. And I have to wonder…how about their plans with God?
Don’t get me wrong. I am not saying that Christian young people don’t care about God. Many of them do. They go to church a little, they pray a little, they read their Bibles a little. Where’s the plans, though? In Ephesians, the apostle Paul was writing to a church who really didn’t understand much about God’s plans. They were saved. They loved Jesus. They even loved and shared with other Christians. But they didn’t understand that they were not just God’s people. They were a called people. They were marked by the plans of God and it was not their own work, their own idea, but it was in the heart of God from the beginning. That’s why Paul was writing to them. He tells them in Ephesians 1:18-19 that he prays “that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe…”
Later on he would go on to tell us what this looks like. “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Eph. 2:8-10). God had a plan from the beginning to save us when we didn’t deserve it. He had a plan to give us faith in the work of Jesus on the cross and by the power of His resurrection to raise us to a life that never ends. He planned this without getting our take on it. He planned this without seeing how well we would perform. He planned it and He made us to carry out His plans – and those are plans for good works – Gospel-driven things done for His glory and the good of other people.
We don’t always know what those good works are going to be. So, this is where I really appreciate Steven’s song because it’s a continual reminder to me that I need to go to God and submit to Him and say, “God, whatever it is You want me to do is what I want to do. Please help me to do it well so that people will praise You.” The best part is that this isn’t something we can do with our own strength. God has to do it. Those of us who are believers of Christ have received the Holy Spirit and have Him dwelling in our hearts. The Holy Spirit gives us all the power and guidance we need to live and to do the things God has for us. So, we have one charge: lovingly submit to the God who called you, planned you, and has made you to do all the good things He has planned for you and for others.
Tags: apart, called, change, different, Ephesians, Gospel, grace, help, Honoring God, music
Modesty and Me
May 7, 2009 Clothes, Girls, Honoring God
Perhaps you’re a lot like me and you’ve heard all of the messages on modesty, read the books, printed out the checklist and can still sometimes find yourself frustrated with the whole thing. When someone says the word “modesty” or the phrase “too tight” you cringe or just roll your eyes and the frustration builds up in your heart. Or maybe you tried the whole “modesty thing” a while ago and at this point you’ve pretty much given up. What’s the point? It’s too much work, too frustrating and not rewarding. Or maybe the whole concept of modesty is new to you. You pretty much wear what you’d like when you like – so long as it’s cute!
I am not coming to you as an expert on modesty. I’m not coming to you as an expert on anything. I can – and usually do- fit into the first two categories of being somewhat “done” with modesty – just let me wear my cute top and don’t make a big deal about it. So while I am not an expert, I am definitely a sinner saved by God’s abundant grace and He has so kindly taught me many things about this issue. This article is simply the things God has showed me and I hope that you find it helpful as you walk out life with your wardrobe.
Okay girls, so we live in a time where pretty much all we hear is fashion, fashion, fashion! We must always look our best – after all, first impressions are lasting! And who knows, Prince Charming might be lurking behind any corner. But my question for you is:
1) Does God care about how you dress?
2) And if so, do you care what He thinks?
So, in effort to answer the first question, let’s go to His Word and see what He says. It is clear that God created women to be beautiful and to make things beautiful. Now, if you’re thinking “but I’m not beautiful – I don’t look like so and so” – stop right there. God did not create us to all look like supermodels. HOWEVER, He did create you in His image. He has numbered the hairs on your head and knows your frame backwards and forwards. What is your definition of beauty? Is it according to God’s standards or the worlds?
Like I was saying, God created us as women to love beauty and with a desire to make the things around us beautiful. That’s how we’re made. So, is it wrong to try and wear clothes that make enhance that beauty? I would suggest that the answer is no. God gives us examples in His word of different women dressing in scarlet (Proverbs 31), undergoing 12 months of beauty treatment (Ester 2:12) and dressing with strings of jewels. (Song of Solomon 1:10). (Wouldn’t you love to afford to wear strings of jewels?!)
He also took the time to write in His holy Word not only about beauty but also about modesty. The Bible is not just filled with random stuff, it’s God’s words to us and they should be so important and precious to us. He commanded that women dress with modesty. “…Women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control.” (1 Tim 2:9) So how does this desire to dress attractively fit in with dressing modestly?
I believe it comes down to the heart of the matter. When you picked out your outfit this morning, what was in your heart? Were you seeking to dress attractively to glorify God and serve others or were you trying to get someone’s attention? Were you hoping that someone would notice how cute you looked? A lot of times I can pick out clothes subconsciously without thinking through whether I’m serving people or drawing attention to myself. We must not be subconscious in being faithful. God cares about modesty…it was His idea and it brings glory and honor to Him, therefore I must make it my highest priority and joy to dress modestly for Him.
So that brings us to the question: Do you care about what God says? He clearly has asked us to dress modestly, so do you care what He says?
Unfortunately, there isn’t a list of clothes that God has put on the “modest list” and on the “immodest list”. That would make it so easy! But we wouldn’t have to search our hearts and ask God to place faith-filled convictions that please Him and that are for our good and His glory. And honestly, that list would look different for each person. One shirt that may look perfectly fine and modest on one person might be very immodest for someone else to wear. But do you really believe that God would ask us to do something and not empower us to do it? Modesty might be a battle and you might feel frustrated but my friend, it will be worth it! God rewards faithfulness. As you look to Him for strength and faith to dress modestly, He will empower you to do it and there will be much joy in honoring Him. No good thing does He withhold from those that love him!
The last point I’d like to make is that it’s very easy to become legalistic about modesty. It’s a very external thing. You can go out and buy turtlenecks, layered with sweaters, a floor length skirt and tennis shoes so that no one sees an inch of skin and you can be immodest. Immodesty starts in the heart. Immodesty is pride expressed in the way you dress. It’s exalting yourself instead of God. So you could be “covered” and still be immodest in your heart. It’s easier to just cover up than do the heart work. But the heart work is where there will be lasting fruit and growth and ultimately what pleases the Lord.
The greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
Matthew 23:10-11
One of my favorite things about the Proverbs 31 woman is that “She dresses herself with strength,” and “Strength and dignity are her clothing”. We can often view modesty as no fun – but have you ever thought that modesty shows strength and dignity and humility? It shows strength and confidence in the Lord when we dress modestly because we’re about our Father’s business. It shows a heart that humbly loves the Savior above all else – no matter what she has to lay aside to honor Him. That is real strength…and real beauty.
So I would encourage you not to be legalistic and create a list of things you will not wear. But go through your clothes or when you pick out your outfit in the morning, ask God to search your heart and see if you’re seeking to draw attention to your good looks or His glory.
For you single girls, I want to also make another point. A godly guy – the type of guy you want to marry – will want a girl who dresses attractively, yet modestly. Our goal should be to honor the Lord in the way we dress but we cannot forget to serve the guys in the way we dress. Do you want to be distraction to them or seek to serve them and point them to Christ?
Neither be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Christ. The greatest among you shall be your servant.
Matthew 23:10-11 (English Standard Version)
I hope these thoughts have served you. If you take anything away from reading this, let it be: “Whatever you do, whether you eat or drink [or get dressed in the morning] or whatever you do – do it for the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31)
When this happens, modesty becomes a joy and a delight to please our Heavenly Father rather than a list of do’s and don’ts. Look to Him for grace and strength to do the good work He’s called you to…He is worth it.
Micaela Russell
Tags: Corinthians, Esther, Girls, Honoring God, Matthew, modesty, Timothy
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