zombies are lame

I really really get annoyed at the zombie thing. It must be about the lamest trend in history. Grown adults reading about zombies all day, putting zombie stickers on their cars, playing zombie games, dressing like zombies for lame zombie parties, etc... I get a real rough and tough manly gun magazine. There was an advertisement in it last month for special zombie ammo. Unbelievable. They're not real! I write this rant because today, reading the Bible, I found an instance of a true zombie. The last thing I want, however, is for one of my kids to find this journal 50 years from now and think that I wrote it because I thought it was a cool concept. I didn't. I hate all trends. And I hate this one the most. But it's here anyway.

I read through 1 Timothy 5 today and I don't know why I did because it's just about widows and I don't really see much application there for me. Here's what I read:

"3 Honor widows who are truly widows.4 But if a widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to show godliness to their own household and to make some return to their parents, for this is pleasing in the sight of God.5 She who is truly a widow, left all alone, has set her hope on God and continues in supplications and prayers night and day,6 but she who is self-indulgent is dead even while she lives.7 Command these things as well, so that they may be without reproach.8 But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. 9 Let a widow be enrolled if she is not less than sixty years of age, having been the wife of one husband,10 and having a reputation for good works: if she has brought up children, has shown hospitality, has washed the feet of the saints, has cared for the afflicted, and has devoted herself to every good work.11 But refuse to enroll younger widows, for when their passions draw them away from Christ, they desire to marry12 and so incur condemnation for having abandoned their former faith.13 Besides that, they learn to be idlers, going about from house to house, and not only idlers, but also gossips and busybodies, saying what they should not.14 So I would have younger widows marry, bear children, manage their households, and give the adversary no occasion for slander.15 For some have already strayed after Satan.16 If any believing woman has relatives who are widows, let her care for them. Let the church not be burdened, so that it may care for those who are truly widows."

Verse 6 is the one that caught me of course. It was an eerie verse to read. This is my culture's drug of choice. Self. Why didn't Satan think of this one sooner? It encompasses all other sins. This culture cares only for self. It serves self. It will die for self. This attitude has poisoned the church. This is not some facet of culture slowly invading the church. It's here. It's reality. It's assumed. It's normal. Most don't realize that their true god is right there in the mirror. In today's faith you can serve yourself in a way that pleases God. LIE. Wait though, context context context, right? This is about widows. I thought that for about 10 seconds before realizing how stupid it sounded. So self-indulgent widows are dead even while they are alive but somehow equally self-indulgent people who aren't widowed are honoring to God and he's cool with them. Duh. It is safe to think that this is God's view of EVERYONE who serves themself first. 

Dead even while they are alive. What a horrible thought. Something as stupid as Hollywood's version of a zombie causes me no fear compared to the sickening fear that grips me to think of this. I see myself running here, running there, working, doing things with family, spending time on the computer, doing whatever. Then I picture God in heaven looking at me; looking at what I am spending time on, what I am "accomplishing". He looks at me and thinks: "That guy might as well be dead already". His story is written. If he accomplishes every goal he has before he dies, he will be no further than he is right now. Because in a cosmic spiritual sense, he's dead. He cares for nothing that has a chance to be real, to be alive, to matter. Make a movie about that and I'll wet myself in terror. 

God, this is a real danger to me. I can get this way. I can find myself from time to time investing in things that are junk. My time, my money, and my passion switches from You to things that don't matter. And I die. I might as well be dead in those moments. God keep me alive. Help me focus on you and what you have for me.