We are a fickle people.

fick·le/ˈfikəl/ Adjective: Changing frequently, esp. as regards one's loyalties, interests, or affection.

I had the awesome opportunity to teach on Easter these last two days. The Father gave me two different avenues to share it - with Freshman we used "Chapter 8 -Parties & Celebrations" and with Sophomores, we used "Chapter 9 -Law, Crime, Punishment."

As I told tried to tell the story in a short succinct way, I hit a mental speed bump that nearly stopped me in class. Then my students caught it too and asked, "Why did the people celebrate Him as King then want to kill Him in the same week? What did He do?" Fickle.

I'm reading through Luke at an extremely slow pace and learning a lot. When J comes into Nazareth (the word is already spreading out and he's being "glorified by all"), He announces His ministry by reading this bold passage from Isaiah claiming He was the messiah. Then watch this - same verse, two sentences: "And all spoke well of him and marveled at the gracious words that were coming from his mouth. And they said "Is this not Josephs son?" In an instant they went from adoration to critical. The same paragraph, 7 verses later "they rose up and drove him out of the down and brought him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they could throw him down the cliff." Fickle.

Four months ago, I hadn't bought my plane ticket to go to India and didn't have resolute plans (for a month later) but I still felt the Father saying wait. Then one night, I felt him say "go check the flights" as I was headed to bed. I complained but checked and found on one day a 2000 rmb drop in price. All of the flights lined up and we made it to 2 other countries and back for about the same price as everyone else spent going to our meeting and back. Now I sit anxious to know about next years plans, slightly frustrated I haven't done anything or got an answer yet. Wondering if I'm going to miss the boat. Fickle.

As I typed out the definition of fickle from Google's dictionary, it seemed to hit even deeper.

esp. as regards one's loyalties, interests, or affection.

Oh, how I love You one moment and half an hour later are fighting to have my own way. How I fall asleep surrendering and wake up with my to do list buzzing. I make a promise and am determined to keep it for at least the next 10 minutes. I feel the world in it's right place as I sit with the Word open writing and absorbing what He's speaking - but somehow between this chair and the door my fickelness seems to kick in. Fickle. Fickle. Fickle.

I'm slightly comforted to know I'm not the only one as I read throughout the OT seeing His people time after time forget what He's done and go plow their own way/doubt/fear/sell themselves/prostitute themselves out. On the other hand, as I hear "everyone deals with this at some point" my heart breaks for the Father. He deserves better than this. I was kinda hoping it was just me so that He had people who were be more convinced and faithful than I to worship Him and give Him what He deserves. Is anyone else frustrated at our own fickleness? Even in writing this I've got distracted - wrote two emails and read another blog entry. Fickle!

Resolute. That's what I want to be. Resolute.

res·o·lute/ˈrezəˌlo͞ot/ Adjective: Admirably purposeful, determined, and unwavering.

Thanks to the Galatians who got carried away in their own "do it yourself" will and Matt Chandler who broke this open last night for us in a podcast - I learned/was reminded how it's not our determination but our faith. (Gal 3:1-9) Our determination sucks. It's the Spirit who is in you who now makes you perfect, fixes you, makes you not like your old self anymore. It's the Spirit who works in you and it's by Faith that it happens. Not what you do but what you believe - even what you believe is a gift. So Ask for more. Resolute.

Forgetting what's behind, OT peoples mistakes, my own lackings and fickleness, the generations before us and those others who surround us who have made similar mistakes, I press on. I search forward. I want to follow those who follow JC. I want to seek Him out and watch how they practically do it. I want to be resolute. I ask for forgiveness for the past, forget it, and press on in Faith to let the Spirit make me resolute.

Make us resolute not that we may boast but that You may have a people who will w.ship you appropriately and give you what you deserve (or at least something much closer to what you deserve then what we're currently giving). Increase our love for you and make us more - Resolute.