a year older:(

Remember when you were little and you wanted to be older? Remember the days of including "and a half" or "and 5/8ths" to your age in anticipation of becoming older? Well I turned 34 on Sunday and in the words of Don Henley, "those days are gone forever, I should just let em go". As I reflected on the significance of adding a year to my age, I thought of one of my favorite scriptures, 2peter 3:18. "but grow in the GRACE and KNOWLEDGE of the Lord."

1. growing in grace---I thank God every day for His mercy. Without it, I would still be dead in my sins and destined for hell. With it, nothing is impossible and the God of the universe calls me to be the carrier of His glory. Growing in the grace of God begins when you see His mercy not as a cover up or excuse to keep living in sin, but the key to real life. Grace doesn't just cover sin, it enables me to live free from shame and in the confidence that life in Jesus sets me free from sin and death! I know I'm going to make mistakes and fail, but by His grace I can fall forward.

2. Growing in Knowledge-- not just information (which is great, but the bible warns that knowledge "puffs"" up) but knowledge of who God is. John 17:3 is a verse I have been meditating one for what seems like forever, but I can't let it go. Jesus tells us that true life is found when you "know" God. I've heard that understanding God is like emptying the ocean with a teaspoon, but I want to be wiling to try. God is looking for a Jacob generation that will seek His face.

Its been almost 10 years since I accepted Jesus as my savior, and I realize that even as a 34 year old man, life is all about growing. I look at dvd's of my girls when they were babies and can't believe how they've grown. In the same way, I want my daddy to look at my life and see growth. I realize its not about performance and that God's love is never dependent on me, but I still want so desperately to live all of my life for Him.

2 corinthians 12:9
But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.