going shopping with the Lord - One Meaningful Thing I Did Today (30-day challenge)

I hope this blog doesn't become something "cheesy" or worse, a "bragging about what I do". It's not about WHAT I do or we do, it's about - in case you didn't notice - involving the Lord Jesus, the living Person within us, in everything we are and we do! The truth is that the Lord is a living person, and a Christian is one who not just "believes in God", but one who lives in an organic union with the Lord, consulting Him in everything. The Apostle Paul even said that it wasn't him who was living anymore but Christ living in him(Gal. 2:20). Christ is in us, Christ lives in us, and we live with Christ - we even live Christ. ... or at least we learn to!

It's such a privilege to converse with the Lord, turn to Him, and go about your daily life doing things here and there, meeting people and talking to them, and at the same time be one with the Lord! In the previous posts I was describing how I realized that I can take a nice walk, we can enjoy the Lord at the Table Meeting, we can go to the gym, we can go through the Bible and read it according to a schedule, we can provide proper customer service, redeem the time at lunch, update our phone contacts, leave the carnival, play football with the brothers, and get some rest - TOGETHER WITH THE LORD! Yes, you can do all these in yourself, with your friends / family, etc, but you can be One With The Lord in this! So....

One Meaningful Thing I Did Today - Going Shopping With The Lord!

For some people shopping is something they hate, and for others is something they are addicted to(or even therapeutic for them!). No matter in which camp you are, you NEED to do some shopping - at least for the basic things you need like food, drink, hygiene stuff, clothes, etc.... Sometimes you just DON'T HAVE MONEY, and so whether you would like to or not like to, you can't really go shopping (unless you do some window shopping and basically desiring the things on the display... - which is not that good). But once you get some money, unless you are a strong-willed person, it is so easy to just spend....(or at least that's just me).

When I was in Romania I used to earn my own money - when I started working and taking care of myself - I used them mainly for the basic needs, and the rest were for the church life, the saints, and... not much left actually. In the UK though, and in the Western Europe / USA / Modern Countries - with no reference to how much or little I earn right now - almost every salary can allow you to live a decent life and even think of more commodities or things you don't really need for your day-to-day living, but are "auxiliary", extra things. These things can become something that occupy you and enslave you, taking your time...

Anyways, coming back to shopping - I went shopping today, since I have built up a small shopping list already... and I was praying on the way, Lord, You know me! You know that "I think I need this and that" and I buy things which I eventually don't need or use! O, Lord, be with me! ... I had to buy two specific kinds of things: food and some pieces of clothing. I started with the clothing and as I was walking in the Marks and Spencer and looking at these new modern sweaters, shirts, trousers, jumpers, jackets... even though I knew I had what I need, there was a thought, What if you just get this one? You may need it later! You never know... and the one you have is a bit "old", it doesn't look as nice as this one!

I have to admit, both in the clothes department and in the food store I had to spend some time walking around and contacting the Lord! O Lord, I don't know myself and I'm afraid of myself - what decisions I may take and what things I may buy APART from You! I need You, Lord! You tell me, is this particular item what I need? .... Guess what, there was no "voice from heaven" talking to me or telling me to get this or not get that... but there was a sense of peace and life within! It's so small, so tender, that even putting something in the shopping basket can quench it...

I am learning. I want to learn this. I mostly fail, and I mainly learn - hopefully - through lots of failures and mistakes. But it all starts with my being - personally, in my private time with the Lord, on my own, where no one can see me or know what I'm doing. There and then, I need to turn to the Lord and build up a habit of contacting Him in everything. I want to build up this habit to such an extent that "I don't even need to ask Him - I just KNOW" because of the sense of life and peace within! It starts in my personal time and it goes on in the things I do - since what I do is an expression of what I am! In everything, everywhere, with whomever is there, and in any situation...

The real meaning of the things we do or we go through is not just accomplishing something or gaining something, but doing everything in oneness with the Lord. Having His smile while sleeping, waking up, taking a shower, brushing our teeth, having breakfast or skipping breakfast, at work, at school, with the workmates or the classmates, on our own, at lunch time, in our free time, in our busy schedule - we want His Smile! When the Lord within us is happy, we are happy! When we have LIFE and PEACE, we REALLY LIVE! We need to fight for this - watch for this - so that we may remain in this sweet touch with the Lord... - even until He comes!