Want to spend a little time in a lab?
Forget the white coat, safety glasses, and things that smell like they’d melt your skin if they ever touched it. This is a different kind of experiment.
In four days I’m going to post a new article about a yet-to-be determined subject. Today and two days from now, I’d like to show you how I get there.
The article will be an outgrowth of something that is a passion of mine: taking truth from God’s word and applying it in a practical, relevant, way – first to my life, then to the lives of others.
There’s a lot of talk in Christian circles about revelation of God’s truth. What’s often missing is relevation – making that truth relevant to specific life issues and dimensions. That’s what I want to show you today – how I apply God’s truth to the power bill, or my relationships with friends or students, or my goals or time management or weaknesses or any other issue that presents itself.
The Church and the Bible are Not Vacuum Tubes
So often in Church World we sound like people answering questions that no one is asking, arguing about things that no one knew were issues, or espousing truths that only apply to this side of the “Exit” sign. Meanwhile, people show up in our classes, our houses of worship, or even their own Bibles as a whirling bundle of needs, questions, issues, complexities, opportunities, and pain.
Isn’t there a way to somehow bridge the chasm between the truth claims of the Bible and the fact that I’m supposed to be at Little League practice and deal with an unhappy customer at the same time?
Yes. Relevation.
God of the Impossible – So What?
A couple of days ago, I read this in my Bible:
Looking at them, Jesus said, “With people it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God” (Mark 10:27).
Awesome. Check that off the list. Now, what else do I have to do today? And what’s for lunch?
Scenes like that are repeated millions of times daily, and twice as much on Sunday. But where is the relevation? How does the Lord want me to actually respond to that truth, or the one I read tomorrow?
A Trip to the Diamond Cutter
When gemologists take a diamond from the rough to its final cut, the brilliance of the stone is shown of when he can hold it up to the light and turn it to reflect the light in many different ways because of the facets of the diamond. Relevation does that for spiritual truth. Another word for it is “faceting.”
Back to the statement from Jesus. Suppose you were reading this in your Bible study (hey… I guess you are!), and wanted to apply it to your life in relevant ways. So imagine that your life is the diamond, and this truth from Mark 10:27 is the light. Here are 12 different areas of your life to consider as you hold it up in His light:
1. Spiritual.
What does this say about my relationship with God? About His values, faith, obedience, worship, grace and love? How is He revealing Himself to me in this truth? About how I can and should trust Him?
2. Mental.
What does this say about the way I think? About how I renew my mind, or what I put into my mind? About what I meditate on, or choose to believe?
3. Emotional.
What does this say about my feelings in general? Or about specific feelings, like sadness, jealousy, fear, anger, love, happiness, joy or longing?
4. Volitional.
How does this speak to my desires? The choices I make today, or the ones I have made in the past? The freedom to choose, or the inability to make good choices (bondage/addiction)? My goals and ambitions, dreams and aspirations (or lack thereof)?
5. Self-Image.
How does this speak to the way I see myself? How does it speak to my sense of worth, competence, and value? What does this truth say about me (regardless of what my circumstances may say)? How does affect the way I “talk” to myself, or what I believe about myself in terms of past, present, or future? How does it relate to my appearance, age, body type, or sense of shame vs. grace?
6. Physical.
How does this truth speak to my physical health and strength, or the fact that my body is the temple of the Holy Spirit?
7. Interpersonal
How does this truth address my closest friendships and relationships? How does it inform me so I can encourage others? How does it speak into my character as a friend, confidante, advisor, and accountability partner?
8. Familial.
How does this apply to my family relationships and roles? How does it relate to my family pain or stress? How does it speak to my dreams or yearnings for the people in my family or my relationships with them?
9. Communal.
How does this truth apply to my relationships in the larger community, such as church, the marketplace, the neighborhood, or the world? How does it speak into the use of my gifts or abilities to serve and contribute in that arena?
10. Professional.
How does this apply to my career or vocation? How does it speak to my relationships with customers, employees, or supervisors? How does it speak to job satisfaction, excellence, or maximum contribution? How does it point to career success or warn against professional pitfalls?
11. Financial.
How does this truth relate to my finances? To financial and material contentment? How does it relate to the love of money or the fear of it? To effective money management, God’s provision, or financial success? How does this speak to godly stewardship and generosity?
12. Adversarial.
How does this truth speak to boundaries of personal conduct? How does it help me discern the world system and resist it? How does it give me principles for defining personal convictions? How does it inform and impact me in the practice of spiritual warfare?
Your Turn
Okay, now you give it a try. Look at a truth from Scripture. You can use the one I mentioned here, or find another.
You may not find deep answers to all 12 questions every time you facet God’s truth. And that’s the really cool part: You don’t NEED 12 answers – just one or two really practical ones.
In the next post I’ll show you in a very raw, unpolished way how I faceted the truth of something the Lord showed me today.
In the meantime, in all our getting of revelation, let’s ask for some relevation to go with it. And I’d love to hear your thoughts.