Depression.

Why do I see it so awful
That I’m inherently myself?
There are so many others, who are not
Me, and are so different, I envy
For not being me, much they do not share.
I want to be like them, I do not like my
Self. I wish I were someone else on this
Earth; someone who loved better, who didn’t
Think too grand of himself, who made fewer
Mistakes, and who always did things perfect.
I have been deceived, by my lack of sight.
My eyes see one side of the true picture,
My mind makes up the other side, and invents
Things that are not true, but they are desired.
This way, I can justify my sorrow,
And my mind can make worse my depression.
Why, oh mind, do you seek to make me hurt?
You’re there to help me survive this life, not
To end it, have you failed evolution?
This was no selective trait! Depression,
Or, at least, my own self-made depression,
Does not help me to live! Am I human?
Or am I something else, a departure from
The normal defense mechanisms of
Man, how they’ve adapted to survive living?
I believe I stumbled onto this thing,
It’s called sin. It pervades my whole body,
My mind yearns to do it, desiring those bad things
Which people hate; those qualities which are
Superficial, and do not make a man.
No, though they may be beautiful, they are
Not part of any man’s being, or soul.
But, why do I desire beauty outward,
And only forget my beauty inwards,
Which is most important, not just to me,
But to everyone?

Good Sacrifice

One of my favorite books in the Bible is Leviticus.  While most people find it to be a dry and boring read, and I can understand why, I think it is full of amazing parallels to the life of Christ, and the Gospel.  So this morning as I was brushing my teeth, I was again thinking about the mentality of those who decide to wait until the last moments of their life to give their lives to God, and I believe I have found another parallel between the law of Leviticus, and the Gospel, and it has to do with sacrifice.   

If you do ever read any of the Old Testament, especially in the books of the law, one of the the recurring themes is that God wants an acceptable sacrifice brought to Him.  Any sacrifice that was brought before God had to be without blemish, and it had to be the best.   Most of us are probably aware of the connection between that an sin, but I think it goes much further than that.  Even before we are saved, God is calling us to a life of sacrifice.  If that is true, and if we are supposed to be living sacrifices, do we want to present ourselves as healthy and without blemish, or as old and in our last stages of life? 

Now there are a few implications within this argument, some valid ones, and others that need a bit clearing up.  I will start with the positive ones. 

As most of the people who read this are young Christians, I think that there is a great deal of significance here.  I think that being young enables us to fall into the trap of the oh-I-can-do-that-later attitude it is a fine line that we must balance between preparing for the rest of our lives, and seizing the day for the Gospel.  Yes, we do have our whole lives ahead of us, but our whole lives may not be as long as we think they are.  We must be diligent in doing all that God tells us to do.

Now, there are a few things that I don't want people to misunderstand.  I am not saying that God cannot use us when we are sick or old, or that if you are about to die, you shouldn't bother committing your life to God.  Any of those ideologies are bad, and I do not recommend them for your personal well-being.  God is gracious, and uses us no matter what condition we are in.  It is always better to be in the smoking section of heaven than the burning section in hell, where we all deserve to be any way. 

So please, if you read this and you haven't given your life to God, don't wait to act if you have even the slightest bit of conviction to do so.  Time is always shorter than we think it is.  If you are a Christian, then don't wait to do what God is calling you to do!