In The Comfort Zone

            I went and got a haircut today. Woo Hoo!! I haven't gotten one in far too long to admit. The best part about going, is that I took my husbands truck that is so nice. I drive the Land yacht (an old Suburban). He drives a beautiful truck with leather seats, an air conditioner that works all of the time. Not just sometimes and satellite radio. Yes, that is the part I love. No static, no kids listening in and talking and I can listen to the total 80's station. I just dated myself but, that is O.K.
            So, there I am listening to Prince, the Bangles, Huey Lewis and the News, and Prince. I am belting the songs out and dancing in my seat without any concern of embarrassing someone (mainly the newly teen) else in the car. You know, someone might see me and that is awful to even think about. I don't really listen to a whole lot of radio and 80's music with my kids in the car because, well, ... you know. The lyrics. They aren't really um, appropriate not only for my kids but, for a Christian to be singing. I mean, I don't think AC/DC's "You Shook Me All Night Long", is really hymn friendly. But, man, it rocks. Well, I started thinking about this little dilemma. Why do I love to listen and sing these songs, even though I know there isn't an ounce of goodness in them. It's the comfort and familiarity. When I hear the opening few notes, I am sent into another time and place. I can remember racing down the Pacific Coast Highway with all of the windows open, my hair flying, and the music blasting. I am not wanting to go back to that time. It just feels so familiar. So comfortable. I realized, that is how Satan gets us so many times. We feel like it isn't that bad. I'm just ,______, (you plug in what it is). It is a comfortable place. It is so easy to fall into the pattern of comfort. When someone tries to break a habit, usually because it is comfortable, they want to fall back into it. Maybe you always smoke a cigarette right after dinner, or have a drink of wine after a hard day, that turns into a bottle. Maybe it is more subtle then that. Maybe, you want to start a new habit. You want to read your bible every morning, or get up and go to church on Sunday. But, in both instances, the bed is really warm and comfortable. And we make excuses. But, the truth is that the Devil knows our weak spots. He knows our comforts. He knows that if he can make us feel comfort that we don't really want to break that habit.
              Comfort. From the very beginning our Mothers try to bring us comfort. She holds a special way, rocks us, maybe sings to us. All to bring us comfort. But, what so often brings us happiness can cause us to get stuck in a rut. It can make me say, I don't want to serve at church right now because it will make my Tuesday nights too busy and crazy. I don't want to help out with the Motels Ministry because it will interfere with my time I like to go to church. I don't want to go to Rwanda because it is scary and I might catch something. All of those excuses are about my comfort. Not what someone else might need. Not what God might be wanting me to do.
             Matthew 8:20 and Luke 9:58   both say,
Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head."

         If Jesus wasn't in comfort, why do I think I should be? Comfort versus Radical actions. HMM. I am far from being someone that is a radical. But, is that what I am called to do? I never thought of comfort and radical as being words that were necessarily opposites. But, stop and think. They are. If you are a radical are you really ever comfortable? 

        My family has been through so much discomfort this last year or two that I have to say, it's O.K. to be uncomfortable. It didn't kill me. I am still here. I am definitely not the same person I was before. But, I think I am a better person because of it. Does that mean that discomfort or radicalness can cause me to grow and change. That would be a YES. IF it is radicalness for Jesus and to further our Lord's kingdom then I would have to say YES. Most definitely. 

        So, now I have to ask myself, what am I willing to do that is Radical for God? I'm not sure. I guess, I am a little stumped there. Truth, I'm not ready for Rwanda. But, I am ready to serve more where I am needed at church. I might be ready to serve in our community. A motel ministry? O.K. That is a distinct possibility. 

         The biggest change has to be for me to say,"Lord, what do you want me to do? I am ready and willing to serve you in the fashion that you see best. " O.K. more truth. That is scary. With all He has done so far in our lives, what has he got in store for us now??? 

         Also, I think I better stick to driving my Land Yacht so I don't want to listen to the 80's.