Of my worship.

This is the Word spoken, "Offer up the threshing floors in your life to me as an altar, the visible proof that I am your God and your Lord."

And so I will make my worship 'loud'.

Waste (wāst): To fail to take advantage of or use for profit

Imagination is a power that far exceeds whatever powers DC or Marvel can conjure up in their superheroes, since all those powers are simply products of an author's imagination. Imagination is akin to the ice-cold spring in the blazing desert of reality. Harnessed properly, imagination causes oases to spring forth and bring color to an otherwise bleak world.

I stress on the part "harnessed properly". Imagination can be misused, even abused. Pornography is the most common manner in which this power is abused, but I digress. The misuse of imagination should be a crime, but how does one legislate something that is in our nature, imparted to us because we are made in God's image? One can only educate accordingly, to draw clear boundaries in which imagination should operate, and then the person must decide whether to be wise or foolish with his or her power.

Imagination is the power that is present in every person, because we are made to overcome the hurdles of life. Without imagination, we will not have the innumerable inventions that permeate our modern lives. Yet imagination has been misused, ever more so in this generation than any before it. Imagination is inextricably tied to our desires, and what has the desires of this generation become?

Set free without moral obligations to society and God, our imaginations have become the ultimate refuge for a generation to hide and grow comfortable in. We have turned into Gideons, threshing wheat in the wine press. Where a place of abundance ought to be, we have turned to it for survival.

The youth of this generation waste their lives on small-minded games on electronic screens, then gawk in amazement at people their age who have done great things with their imaginations.

The adults of this generation yearn to own more material things, and so spend their imagination, time and energy on accreting ever larger hoards of earthly treasure.

We have wasted the power of imagination, having made our desire to please (and thereby serve) the self greater than our obligations to society and God. All hope is not lost, for Christ the Redeemer uplifts our hearts and minds so that we have a choice. A choice to serve God and His greater will, or our petty self-absorbed wills. Just as Gideon made the choice to serve God when He visited him, so must we do the same when God speaks to us in our hearts through His still, small voice.

Postscript: I am no saint, nor can I say that I have accolades to my name. But I do not want to waste the life that God the Father has breathed in me. Since you exist in the same plane as I do, bound by the same rules that I am, I urge you not to conduct your life as a wastrel does. On a separate note, this is only a progression of this post from years back.

Citing Past Me: Psalm 23

In Psalm 23, "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want."

I shall not want sin in my life, for it hinders my fellowship with God.

I shall not want to stop praising the Lord, for He has done so much good in my life.

I shall not want pride in my achievements, for all glory belongs to the Lord.

I shall not want my old nature, for I have been given a new one in Christ.

I shall not want to slave for the things of this world, for they will mothball and rust.

I shall not want worry in anything, for the Lord my God is sovereign over all things.

I shall not want to rush the schedule, for the Lord's timing is impeccable.

I shall not want to bear grudges against a fellow believer, for the Lord forgives those who forgive another's trespass.

I shall not want to work myself to the bone, for it is better to be in the presence of the Lord.

I shall not want to stop being childlike in my adoration of God, for the Lord welcomes such into His Kingdom.

I shall not want to reject discipline from the Lord, for He disciplines those whom He considers His children.

I shall not want to cease bringing gladness to the lives of people around me, for it is better to give than to receive.

I shall not want to deny another from experiencing the joy of knowing the Lord personally, for the gospel is meant for all.

I shall not want to cease being a peacemaker, for the Lord calls such the sons of God.

I shall not want to feel comfortable with the status quo, for time is short.

I shall not want to stop meeting up with believers, for the presence of the Lord is found where we gather in His name, and liberty is found in His presence.

Postscript: It helps to keep a remembrance of past decisions, especially if they were sound ones.